H.—2o

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the farm area. The mud-flats on the reclaimed farm area are gradually being unwatered, and are now being worked up and sown in English grasses. Suitable roads are in course of formation throughout the property, and as it is now possible to obtain gravel by means of the Department's own lighters, the work will be pushed forward more rapidly. Pig-rearing has again been successful, and a handsome profit on the year's work is the result. Although the price of pork has fallen considerably, the rale still obtainable makes pig-rearing quite prolil able. In the dairying branch a pedigreed Friesian completed the eertificate-of-reeord test as a two-year-old, yielding in 365 days 54U28 lb. of butter-fat. Both this heifer and a yearling bull of the same breed were awarded prizes al Hie Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Show this year. . Napier Prison. The statue of this prison wns reduced during the past year with a view to ultimately closing it down and disposing of the reserve to the Napier Borough Council. Up to the present the Council has not been able lo give effeel lo the proposal lo acquire the site, and the usual quarrying operations have been carried on by a reduced number of short-sentenced prisoners, while the Borough Council refunds to the Department the salary of I lie officer who supervises prison labour in the quarry. By this arrangement the Borough Council is enabled to obtain supplies of roadmetal, Are., at a reasonable cost. In order to add to the security of the yards for remand and trial prisoners it will probably be necessary during the coming year to make some minor alterations to the interior arrangements of the prison. All long-sentenced prisoners are sent to other prisons immediately after conviction. • New Plymouth Prison. The chief industry at this prison is the quarrying and napping of stone and stripping mullock from the gravel-bed, the principal customers for these quarry-products being the local Borough Council. Vegetable-gardening bus also been carried on, and all available land has been cultivated, with satisfactory results. Entertainments by way of concerts were provided al intervals for the prisoners, and occasional lectures by the headmaster of the local high school were much appreciated. The prison library has been considerably added to during the year, and the prisoners continue to take full advantage of the opportunities provided for them in this direction. Paparua Prison. A considerable increase in I lie number of prisoners held at Paparua has to be recorded. Work for all able-bodied men is plentiful, the majority being employed on farm-work in its various branches, while a number of the inmates have been employed on building-construction and the making of concrete blocks, tiles, paving-blocks, &0. A further extension of the prison farm area has been rendered possible by the purchase of two small adjoining farms. This land is of good quality, and produced wheat averaging about 43 bushels to the acre. The crops of oats, barley, and peas were again very satisfactory, and the root crops, particularly mangolds, resulted in heavy returns per acre. A considerable acreage of the native-grass land has been cultivated into good pasture, and about 33 acres of poor land sown down in lucerne has proved remarkably successful. The farm carried 1,000 bead of ewes, and the percentage of lambs obtained is considered satisfactory in view of the severe weather which prevailed at lambing-time. The wool-clip was heavy averaging close on 101b. per fleece, but owing to the drop in prices it remains unsold. A successful start on a small scale was made with a Corriedale stud flock, and the prospects of establishing a good flock of this valuable class of sheep are very bright. Pig-rearing lias again proved a profitable branch of (be farm industries. 1 igs sold al the auction markets during the year realized £335. . , . Cash credits amounting to £2,224 19s. Id. were obtained during the past year, the principal amounts being received in respect of sale of lambs, wheal, and pigs. The total credits from all sources, including the value of prison labour on building-construction, &c, amounted during the past financial year to £7,690. . While it will be seen from the foregoing paragraph that tin- material progress ol affairs at Paparua has been marked the Department has been able, thanks to the disinterested efforts of certain philanthropic educationists in Christchurch, to establish classes for those inmates who have evinced a desire for self-improvement. The gentlemen referred to have devoted a considerable amount of time to this work, and the results are eminently satisfactory. Other workers in the interest of social reform have organized a number of successful concerts and entertainments that have done much to relieve the tedium of the inmates' lives, and have assisted in other directions to raise the general moral tone of the institution. Roto-aira Roadmaking Gamp. Durimr the summer months satisfactory progress was made with the formation of the Waimarino Tokaanu Road. A good road suitable for motor traffic has now been completed from Waimarino Railway-station to Otoukou Pa-a distance of twenty-one miles. The rate of progress m the winter months has not been satisfactory, the continuous wet weather making steady work impossible A commencement was made'in November with the transfer of the Lake lloto-aira (-amp buddings to a site near Erua, on the Main Trunk line, with a view to the employment of the prisoners on the