H.—2o,

Each year the holding of the Agricultural and Pastoral Winter Show is the occasion for a display by the institution of articles made by the boys. The exhibit in 1936 consisted of a model of Lincoln College wool-shed, models of tip-drays, harrows, and horse-trees from the blacksmithy, a roll-top desk, boots, tympanies, cricket pads, coir matting, book-binding, poster work, mural decorations, chairs, and also root crops. The whole exhibit received a good write-up in the press, and photographs were published in northern papers. The boot-shop functioned at full time during the year, making and repairing boots for officers and inmates, both here and at Paparua. The kit-shop staff was fully occupied with the mending of clothes. The bakehouse turned out all the bread, &c., required. Work in this department and with the cooking gives useful employment to inmates. This applies also to all the industries. Regarding the carpentry shop, authority was received to purchase a new woodworking machine. This is fitted up but not yet connected with the power. It will be of great assistance in the work. During the year, 200 chairs were made for institutional use. A new blacksmith-shop was erected and up-to-date machinery was installed. The blacksmith and fitting-shop serves as an excellent training ground for inmates who are interested in mechanical and engineering work. The farm garden supplied a wide range of vegetables for the ration requirements of the institution, the surplus being disposed of at the local auction-marts. There was, unfortunately, a shortage at the latter end of the year, owing to bad weather. The experimental area also produces a certain quantity of vegetables, and provides employment for a class of inmate for whom harder tasks would be physically unsuitable. During the year the hospital and kitchen block was reroofed in iron, to replace the tiles, which were leaking badly in places. The farm store and barn was similarly dealt with. This was very necessary to protect perishable produce. The lay-out of this building was altered, to provide more store space and room for manure and seed-mixing. The whole floor was concreted. Under agreement with the Invercargill City Council, a new road, 115 chains in length, was formed, fenced, and gravelled between Spey Street and Stead Street. There is still a part of the second layer of gravel to be put on. The drainage of the farm requires constant attention as regards cleaning the contour drains, &c. A start was made at the end of the year with the installation of the two new pumps, which when working will, it is anticipated, keep the water down, especially during winter months, and at a lower cost than is the case with the present pump. At the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Summer Show held in December last the institution won three prizes for cattle, including the champion cow, and seven prizes for pigs. In conclusion, I wish to record my appreciation of the assistance rendered by both the office and the uniform divisions of the staff during the year. It is with deep regret that I record the passing away, on 14th October, 1936, of our farm-manager, Mr. William Brash, after a long illness. Waikekia Borstal Institution (Te Awamutu). (Superintendent, Mr. D. Dunlop.) I have the honour to present the annual report for this institution m respect of the vear ended 31st December, 1936. On the Ist January, 1936, there were in custody 55 Borstal inmates and 24 were received during the year ; the discharges were 1 on expiration of sentence, 51 on probationary licenses, while 2 were transferred to other institutions, thus leaving 25 in custody on the 31st December, 1936. The greatest number of Borstal inmates in custody at any one time during the year was 63, the least number 25, and the daily average 38-75 inmates. In the reformatory section there were in custody at the beginning of the year 105 inmates and 101 were received during the year ; of these, 7 were discharged on expiration of sentences, 16 by special remission of sentences, 64 on probationary licenses, and 19 were transferred to other institutions. The belief that Borstal exists only for the purpose of providing an age classification and in all other major respects does not differ from prison is entirely fallacious. The success of Borstal methods of training and reformation is clearly shown by reference to the official figures published on the subject each year. Years of practical experience at this work have shown in no uncertain manner that young offenders of unstable character and of malleable ages derive a very real benefit from a period of Borstal training. It is in the interests of the adolescent offenders, as well as of the community itself, that greater use should be made of Borstal as an alternative to punishment in the retaliatory sense', and as a real means of arresting and eradicating anti-social tendencies before they become settled habits. Reference is made later in this report to salient features in connection with the farming activities conducted on the property and to other forms of occupation provided for the inmates, from which it will be seen that there have been wide and useful forms of employment available during the year. It has been asserted that the habits of industry gained in one trade are of very little use to one in other trades, and experience has shown the wisdom of allocating labour to various tasks on a selective basis with a view to its ultimate educative value. Skilled tradesmen are given work, as far as possible, at their particular trades, other inmates being allotted to tasks for which they show an aptitude or desire to learn. To no small extent the success of training from an educational viewpoint depends upon sound industrial methods, which, of course, predicate skilled management, up-to-date equipment, proper conditions of work, and accurate accounting —in a word, business management and methods. Therefore, in the effort to increase production and enhance industrial efficiency by the intelligent employment of

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