A—4

Alterations in population since April, 1921, the date of the first census taken by the New Zealand Administration, are shown hereunder: —

Penal Organization The two prisons in the Territory form part of the Police Department organization and are situated on Upolu, one at Yaimea, near Apia, and the other at Tafaigata, some seven miles distant, the latter being a prison farm. A full European gaoler is in charge under the Inspector of Police and Prisons, the remainder of the staff being Samoans. These consist of one sergeant and six warders at Yaimea Prison, and one corporal and six warders at Tafaigata. There are two wardresses in charge of the female prisoners. Staff is recruited from Samoans of good character and physique and having ability to enforce discipline. Candidates must pass a medical examination before becoming eligible for employment. On enrolment they are trained in their duties by the gaoler and the sergeant. Prisoners are classified as follows : Samoans, part-Samoans, Chinese, full Europeans. The two latter classes are rare. Female prisoners, who are housed in a separate compound, are few in number and are all Samoans. Prisoners housed in cells have 50 square feet of space each, or more where there is only one person in a cell. Of other prisoners, most are housed at Vaimea in a fale or Native hut with strong wire-mesh walls, and at Tafaigata in two large airy rooms. In Yaimea each prisoner has an average of 22 square feet sleeping-space, and when locked up for the night is free to move around in 594 square feet till bed-time. At Tafaigata the average is 28 square feet sleeping-space to move in before bed-time. A medical officer visits Vaimea every day to attend sick prisoners. Religious services are held in both prisons every Sunday by visiting clergy. No scholastic education is given in any of the prisons. However, all prisoners are shown how to plant and maintain properly all native foodstuffs which they would normally use in their own villages. They also learn something of soil conservation, rotation of crops, growing of vegetables, carpentering, native fale building, cement-work, basketmaking, and thatch-making; in addition, they are taught how to care for and handle cattle and to milk and tend cows. Prisoners are permitted to read suitable literature in their leisure hours; most of them devote considerable time to reading their Bibles. Juveniles are not imprisoned. There are no special laws and Courts to deal with them. On conviction, a juvenile is sent to an approved family for care and discipline, and during his stay there is treated as one of the family. Juvenile delinquency exists to a very small extent; fifteen offenders only appeared before the Courts during the year ended 31st March, 1948.

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Designation. As at 17th April, 1921 As at 31st March, 1948. Total Increase or Decrease. Europeans 835 316 - 519 Persons of part-Samoan blood 1,231 5,109 + 3,878 Native Samoans 33,336 67,149 +33,813 Chinese labourers 1,290 285 - 1,005 Melanesian labourers 465 72 - 393 Other Chinese* 5 + 5 Totals 37,157 72,936 +35,779 * Not shown separately in 1921 census.