SKILLED LABOR IN GAOLS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 522, 30 December 1881, Page 2

SKILLED LABOR IN GAOLS.

Among some Parliamentary returns *iof last session, copies of which are only now coming to hand, is one called for by Mr Hutchison, showing the number of convicts in the gaols of the colony employed at trades, and the varioiis kinds of skilled and unskilled labor, suchFeftffff’being for the week ending 26th March, 1881, the last week in the past financial year. Summarised, the return gives the following particulars : —.Skilled artisans employed in prison repairs or new buildings, 25 ; unskilled laborers similarly employed, or at stonebreaking or local public works, 360 j oakum-picking, 11 ; shoemakers, making prison shoes, 13 ; tailors, making prison, clothing, 15; female prisoners, making and; repairing prison clothing, 14; carpenters, working on police buildings, 4; working in the prison shops, 1 cooper, 1 hammock-maker, r painter, 6 printers/ 6 assistant-printers, 1 warder (as foreman printer), 1 machine stocking-knitter, and 1 tinsmith. —Total, 460. The value of their work, calculated at 4s per diem for skilled laoor (except printing) and 3s for unskilled labor, amounted for the week to L 396 14s 3d, and payment received from local bodies and other sources was L 47 16s 4d. In this amount is included Ll 3 1*53 6d payment for printing done at Lyttelton gaol, the value of printing done during the week being L 25 ns 3d, estimated on Government printer’s valuation.