H.—2o.

Wellington Prison. (Superintendent, Mr. J. Down.) There were in custody at the commencement of the year 163 males. During the year 1,198 males were received and 1,204 were discharged, leaving in custody at the 31st December, 157. The discharges were as follows : On expiration of sentence hard labour or imprisonment, 679 ; reformative detention, nil ; Borstal detention, 2 ; special remission hard labour, 23. Released on recommendation of the Prisons Board : Hard labour, 14 ; reformative detention, 19 ; debtors, 47 ; transferred to another prison, or to the police and probation, 397; released on bail, 8: making a total of 1,204. The daily average number in prison during the year was 173-8. The greatest number of cases of sickness at any time was 21, and the number of admissions to the Hospital during the year was 7. Prisoners received during the year: Debtors, 47 ; trial and remand, 127 ; transferred and in transit from another prison, &c, 160; simple imprisonment. I : serving under three months, 511 ; three months and under one year, 214 ; one year and upwards, 71 ; death, 3 ; reformative detention, 41; Borstal detention, 20 : total, 1.198. Religious services were conducted twice daily on Sundays by the following denominations : Church of England, Presbyterian, Salvation Army, Methodists, and others. The Presbyterian Social Service Guild, Salvation Army, and others gave concerts. The Presbyterian Social Service Guild and the Salvation Army gave very welcome Christmas cheer, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the men. By careful and intensive cultivation we have grown sufficient feed of mangolds, and by conserving paddocks for hay no extra feed lias had to be purchased from other institutions. The dairy herd is in very good condition and is now showing a good result. We have also increased our number of breeding-pigs and they likewise are showing a fair profit. With the low price obtained for our produce it is very difficult to show any very high returns. The cleaning of paths, mowing of lawns, also the repairing of fences have been carried out throughout the year. Forty-live yards of boulders have been carted to the side for rock gardens. cVc Water-pipes were laid to water the lawns and standards fixed on same. Return of firewood and timber taken out of the plantation is as follows: Firewood, 45 cords: light wood, 50 cords: a quantity of logs to cut into 1,300 ft. of timber which would be used for boxmaking. The number of acres of trees trimmed up to (i ft. was .'52 acres ; 5,000 young trees have been cleaned around and cultivated, also 2 acres of three-year-old trees, and a general clean-up effected in the main plantation. The road leading from Shelly Bay to the Borstal Institute is being widened, metalled, and formed. The road leading from the Borstal Institute to the prison is being widened and formed, and a footpath made on the west side. About 50 yards of road leading from the boundary-fence to the prison is being Degraded and a footpath formed. The road from the Borstal Institute to the Massey Tomb has had attention, also the road leading from the tomb to the Massey Road. On the access road one mile and a half has had constant attention almost every week. The following material shifted, Ac, is as follows : Roads reformed, 1,500 yards ; footpaths formed, 80 yards ; metal quarried, 660 yards : mullock shifted, 700 yards; roads metalled, 700 yards. The high bank in front of the prison has been battered off and the height of the bank is 20 ft. The whole of the bank, 300 ft., has been turned into a rockery and planted with suitable rock-plants, also the flat portion of the ground laid out in gardens. A considerable amount of work has been accomplished such as clearing firebreaks 12 ft. wide. 500 ft. long, and grubbing same ; 40 acres of land cleared of scrub and burned, and generally tidied up ; horse-troughs fixed, old water-pipe taken out and new pipe laid ; 160 yards of 1| in. pipe taken up and removed to the prison ; road leading from the Borstal Institute to Fort Ballance formed, and channels cleaned and fences repaired. The following industries were carried on during the year, viz. : — Breadmaking ; the making of floor-polish, sandsoap, and lead-head nails. The printing for the Department and the book-binding has shown a big saving by several hundreds of pounds. The blacksmith and engineer shops have turned out some very good work. One large bakers' oven was made and sent to one of the camps. Several other useful things were also manufactured such as a large road-roller, one heavy jinker for lifting stone, also two staple machines capable of turning out a good staple of different sizes. As there was some difficulty in getting petrol-tins to be made into containers for floor-polish, we found it was possible to manufacture a strong and more suitable tin to carry 40 lb. of polish. For galvanizing nails for lead heads the furnace has had further improvements made, and is doing well. A bench with a circular saw has also been fixed to cut up the pine-trees in the plantation for box-making for packing purposes. Ample supplies of vegetables are grown throughout the year, though the conditions for gardening are not always satisfactory on account of the wind. Wi Tako Prison, Heretaunga. (Superintendent, Mr. D. Blain.) At the commencement of the year 1 he muster at this institution was 79, made up of 57 hard labour, 21 reformative detention, and 1 habitual criminal. Admissions during the year totalled 133, whilst discharges were 136. The muster at the end of the year was 76, comprising 62 hard labour ami II reformative detention prisoners. The health of the prisoners has been good, there having been no really serious cases of sickness. The general conduct and industry of the prisoners have been satisfactory.

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