H.— 20,

4

boots and. clothing for the inmates and officers, and in carrying on the domestic services of the various institutions, Table 3 below contains the details for the different establishments : —

Table 3. —Value of Prison Labour employed on Prison Works and Industries for which Cash Credits are not obtained, for the Year ended 31st March, 1922.

Summary. £ | Cash and financial credits for the yoar 1921-22 .. . . .. 49,866 Estimated value of prison labour employed on public works for which neither cash nor financial credit was received .. .. .. 21,120 Estimated value of prison labour emjjloyed on farms, industries, domestic work, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24,628 Total value of prison labour, 192.1-22 .. .. .. £95,614 The above figures show that, while the gross expenditure for the past financial year was £129,411, the total value of prison labour during the same period was £95,614. Present and Past Systems compared. While the foregoing figures demonstrate clearly the material gain to the country by the adoption of the policy followed in recent yoars, the improved moral effect on the individual prisoner, compared with that under the former system, that is still followed in some of the older countries, is incalculable. When our prisons were simply places of safe custody, where there was little or no work of an interesting, useful, or remunerative character, there was little hope for anything but the deterioration of the prisoner, mentally, morally, and sometimes physically. Upon his discharge the city dweller inevitably returned to his former environment in the city with a diminished capacity for competition with his fellows in the outside world and an increased tendency towards crime. Under present conditions every man whose offence or whose general conduct warrants it is either drafted to one of our country institutions or is suitably employed at useful and remunerative work of some kind. The result is shown by the fact that even some of the many-times-convicted prisoners remain in the country in constant employment, instead of returning to the cities, and others obtain work at the occupations upon which they have been engaged while in prison. There are still the incorrigible class who cannot keep out of prison, but this class is rapidly diminishing in number. Every able-bodied man now learns " the gospel of hard work," and, under the honours system that is very generally applied on our farms anil works, he also learns self-reliance and self-respect. For those who are illiterate we have evening classes, where educational facilities are available, while a certain amount of recreation is also provided, as a means to the desired end—the prevention of mental and moral deterioration. Developments duiuno the Yeak.. Opening up of Laud for Settlement. For some years past it has been apparent that in order to continue the agricultural policy of the Department a large area of land should be acquired for development by prison labour. Hitherto the difficulty has been first to find the finance, then to find the land. By co-operation between the Native, Lands, and Prisons Departments the problem was finally solved by the selection of a block that forms part of a very large area of land purchased from the Natives in the immediate vicinity of Lake Taupo.

Prison. Bootmaking for Officers and Prisoners. Tailoring (including Repairs to Clothing, &c). n i . Domestic Gardening ™ , , i ° Employment i ( ,, , • (including *' laundrywork). Totals. Addington Auckland Hautu , .. Invereargill Napier Now Plymouth Paparua Point Halswell Waikeria Waikune Wellington Wi Tako Minor gaols • £ £ 265 384 £ £ £ 475 247 24 95 641 98 £ 89 394 41 26 1,108 42 21 286 284 264 2,120 10 2.1 2,416 1,716 86 235 186 396 1,761 1.361 372 341 1,972 1,284 105 432 575 1,991 1.181 491 56 184 835 3,243 31 4,477 354 761 3,852 1,107 3,345 601 3,999 1,751 272 48 38 322 37 11 i Totals 1,938 2,561 9,270 10,859 10,859 24,628