THE PRISON CAMP.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 54, 27 November 1907, Page 9

THE PRISON CAMP.

SITE TO BF, SHIFTED,

WORK -,TOU. DISCHARGED PRISONERS,

', At the Waiotapu, Prison ,oamp, reports Lieutenant-Colonel A. Hume, who has just returned from a visit of inspection, everything is progressing very satisfactorily. The trees planted arc making very good progress, and, as tho sixty convict planters have exhausted the area within easy reach, it has been decided to shift the camp t<? a sito on tho Galatea Koad, about two and a half miles further from Rotorua. This will probably bo done next February.

A record in tree-planting has just boon achieved by a prisoner, who "planted,- well and carefully, 3000 trcos in one day. It is supposed, that some challenge must have existed among the prisoners to .provoke this ■ really .'remarkable feat of industry, which it would bo utterly impossible to sustain over any long period. Tho operation of planting docs not include digging the hole, but' it comprises bending down to place each tree in the ground, shovelling in the earth, and treading it down—a back-aching succession of tasks. - The inspecting forester was perfectly well satislioi with the way in which thesp trees wcro planted.

■ As about COf) acres of land will require to be, planted, which is not convenient of access either from the present Waiotapu camp or from tho now sito, the Minister of Lands has decided to employ discharged prisoners in planting this area by contract. The prisoners will be men who have served their sentences with exemplary conduct, and the Forestry Department should get good work From them, as they will bo experts both in pitting and tree-planting.