H.—2o.

(c) Cell Furniture. —Shelves provided for books, &c. ; special cupboards provided for storing foodstuffs ; knives, spoons, and forks of good quality supplied instead of tin knives as hitherto ; desks supplied to all prisoners who desire to study ; chairs replace cell stools. Flowers and pictures allowed in cells. (d) Food. —Regular puddings as an extra to the regulation ration scale ; milk for all prisoners ; cocoa at one meal daily ; butter for prisoners serving sentences of three months or over ; improved bread (wholemeal and flour alternately) ; treacle or syrup to all prisoners ; increased ration of green vegetables ; increased meat ration ; extras for long-sentence prisoners, including change of diet at two-monthly intervals ; choice of certain items such as jam and syrup, and a special ration of cheese. Improved system of serving food (at certain prisons plates being substituted for ration tins). (e) General. —Development of farms and gardens for the purpose of providing extended open-air work ; increased ration of tobacco —cigarette papers supplied ; improved footwear ; improved shirts, hats, and shape of sox and improved suits of clothing at Borstals, with provision of necktie and special soft-collar shirts ; introduction of annual summer camps at Borstal; improvement in free dental treatment. (4) Changes designed to add Interest to the Work carried out in Prisons and making it of Value vocationally. Extended technical education in wool-classing, woodwork, &c. ; installation of modern plant in boot-factory, clothing-factory, joinery-shops, machine-fitting shops, and on farms (milking-machines, sheep-shearing machines, tractors, and farm implements) ; work planned for use rather than as a task. Appointment of Warder Instructors in all artisan trades for the purpose of teaching inmates. (5) Changes designed to reduce the Cost to the Taxpayer for the Upkeep of Prisoners. (а) Establishment of bakery in each prison (cheaper than outside purchases and provides work of vocational value). (б) Supply chilled meat and milk to city prisons from farms. (c) Growing and manufacturing of institutional tobacco requirements instead of purchasing. (d) Manufacturing of concrete posts for fencing. (e) Undertaking of laundry work for Government Departments. (/) Laundries mechanized with modern plant which provides work of vocational value. (g) Undertaking manufacture of footwear for other Departments. (h) Supplying quarry metal for other Departments. (i) Extensive development of unimproved and waste lands (Hautu and Rangipo), and reclamation of land (Invercargill Estuary). (j) Increased farm and garden production, including selling in open market. (k) Manufacture of sandsoap and floor-polish for all Government Departments. (I) Manufacture of Department's requirements in sox, clothing, and footwear —also for Mental Hospitals Department and Child Welfare Department. (m) Improvements effected at Rangitoto Island (roading and levelling of play areas). (n) Land improvements at Waikeria and certain areas made available for settlement, (o) Erection of residences for staff by prison labour. (p) Development of orchard and apiary at Waikeria. (q) Closing of small prisons (Naseby, Okarito, Mangonui, Port Awanui, Timaru, Greymoutk, Westport, Tolaga Bay). (r) Removal of Wellington Terrace Prison, and site made available for school purposes. (s) Improvements in fire-prevention equipment. (t) Universal herd-testing at all institutional dairy-farms. (u) Organization of stores, accounts, and industries—placed on proper accounting and costing basis. (v) Improved kitchen organization--installation of electric cooking and oil-burning ranges. (w) Discontinuance of uneconomic industries (sawmilling and brickmaking). (a;) Extensive development of farming on scientific lines. (y) Manufacture of furniture and olfice fittings for courthouses and birth, death, and marriage offices. (6) Improvements in so far as Relatives and Dependants of Prisoners are concerned, (a) Increase in allowance to dependants from '225. to 265. Bd. per week. (ft) Facilities provided to enable prisoners to visit sick or dying parents or near relatives. (c) Increased facilities for letter-writing. (d) Special extra concessions in respect of visits where parents are obliged to travel long distances. (e) Closer contact between Superintendents, Matron, and parents of younger inmates. (7) Organization of After-care. After-care is now recognized to be an integral part of the prison system, and during the past ten years special emphasis has been given to the development of this side of the work. Special after-care committees have been established in connection with Borstal institutions, and encouragement has been given to the establishment of prisoners' aid societies and voluntary probation committees in the cities and main secondary towns. The members of these organizations and the Probation Officers do their utmost to cushion the re-entry of ex-prisoners into social life and to assist them during that hazardous period when they are first finding their feet.

6