H.—2o

Revenue credited to Vote, and Average per Head compared with Previous Years.

11l reviewing the revenue returns it is necessary to bear in mind that the actual revenue credited to the vote by 110 means represents the total value of the results of prison undertakings. The value of works of a capital nature is not credited to the vote, consequently the greatly extended activities during the past year on farm-development work, though improving and consolidating the capital assets of the Department, is not reflected in the foregoing statement. The detailed statement of revenue credited to the vote is not given this year, but is substituted by the following table and two improved tables (B 1 and B 2) in the Appendix, showing the total sales and services rendered by the Department to outside demands (principally other Departments and local authorities) and of the internal production for institutional purposes. A true comparison with previous years is not possible, as similar data is not available for the earlier years. The statements do not, of course, give an indication of total value of prisoners' labour. With some exceptions, the smallness of revenue in individual institutions is due to the fact that the work is primarily development and on capital works. Thus, while the Hautu and Eaugipo Prison Camps have an aggregate number of prisoners nearly equal to Waikune Prison Camp, the actual revenue on the latter is £17,692, against £1,476 in the former. At Waikune nearly all the work is immediately revenue-producing, while at Hautu and Eangipo the work is almost entirely confined to development of the large area of the land on which they are situated. The tables also give an interesting review of the variety and extent of the saleable services and products of the Department, to a total of £97,000, of which £72,700 represents outside sales and services, and £24,453 institutional. Total Value of Prison-made Produce, Prison-grown Produce, and Services for Year ended 31st March, 1927 Institution. £ Industry. £ Addington . . . . 125 Blocks and tiles . . . . 478 Auckland .. .. .. 32,511 Boots and boot-repairs .. 5,723 Hautu .. .. .. 1,447 Bread .. .. .. 4,327 Invercargill .. .. 10,323 Bricks .. .. .. 2,668 Napier .. .. .. 430 Cartage and transport .. 2,150 New Plymouth .. .. 1,607 Contracts (roadworks, labour, Paparua .. .. .. 9,001 &c.) .. .. .. 16,870 Point Halswell .. .. 1,196 Farm-produce .. .. 27,001 Rangipo .. .. .. 29 Floor-polish . . . . 106 Waikeria .. .. .. 12,799 Firewood .. .. .. 51 Waikune .. .. .. 17,692 Lead-headed nails .. .. 44 Wanganui . . .. 17 Laundering and repairs . . 668 Wellington .. .. 4,629 Mail-bag repairs .. .. 2,161 Wi Tako .. .. .. 5,348 Quarry products .. .. 20,969 Rents of buildings . . .. 438 Sewing and knitting .. 157 Timber .. .. .. 4,033 Tailoring .. .. .. 5,587 Tinware . . .. . . 114 Miscellaneous . . .. 3,609 £97,154 £97,154 ■ to nr;„tsa —— Prison-labour Costing. Table B3 in the Appendix, sets out the value of prison labour engaged on all activities. The value shown is based 011 the Department's method of costing this item as explained in last year's report at length. Some interesting facts are revealed. While prison labour on farms was £4,509, the value of farm products raised amounted to £27,000, whereas in the previous year the figures were respectively £5,877 and £20,089, which reflects what is actually taking place. Satisfactory though these results are, it is to be borne in mind that there is much, development work in connection with the farms which does not show an immediate return. It is abundantly clear, however, that apart from the human considerations, such as the healthful occupation afforded, and the sublimating influences of creative work in the open air, from the economic point of view the bringing into productivity of waste land and the more intensive cultivation of the developed lands increases the sum total of the Dominion's production, and is thus a community benefit.

6

Daily Average ! » n Vj Year. Number I Total Credits. Average Credit of Prisoners. P er Head ' £ £ 1914 .. .. .. .. .. .. j 979-81 9,162 9-35 1919-20 .. .. .. .. .. 965-07 31,177 32-31 1924-25 .. .. .. .. .. I 1,227-50 68,118 55-56 1925-26 .. .. .. .. .. 1,340-13 79,099 59-02 1926-27 .. .. .. .. .. | 1,397-25 70,915 50-77