WAIKERIA PRISON FARMS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2207, 21 July 1914, Page 7

WAIKERIA PRISON FARMS

PROGRESS AND PROSPECTS,

Reporting upon the progress made in the development of the Waikoria Prison Farm during the year ended December 31, 1013, the gaoler (Mr. J.- L.. A. Kayll) states that there wore 18 prisoners in • custody : at the beginning of, the year; during tho-year 47 prisoners were received'.'Sjid 28,"wero tfrscba-rgedjr leaving 89 in'pitstody , at the "end of tlib year. The doily average was 25.23. All the prisoners were males. "The health' of the prisoners lifts been very goocK and we nave not had to treat any out minor ailments. The bahaviour of the prisoners has, on the whole, been good. The work of the prisoners has been very good. No men .are sent here except those supposed to be able to 'stand the strain of heavy work. ' . ; ' '

'■About.the middle of the year the work of excavating the site for the permanent building was commenced. In order to complete this work from start to finish, some 60,000 yards of clav is to be removed. It is a big work, but more than justified by tho excellence of the site to be obtained. It is centrally- situated; stand6_ 230 ft. above the sea-level: is.<well drained on all sides: commands a fine, extensive viow; and, owing to the fact that a high hill rises sharply to \the ; southeast, an inexhaustible supply of water, with a pressure of 501b.. is. available at a small cost for installation. Excavating is not work thnt makes a Rood showina. but our tallies give an average of 12 tons of clay dug down and shovelled into trucks per. day per, man.

"During tho autumn 120 acres of grass were sown. The "strike" was a good one, and now there are 100 sheep and 53 head of cattle grazing in the paddocks, • besides 12 horses. The potato crop was a pood average, yield, hut owing to the. blitrht it had to bs, due rathor early. The oats cut out well., The , Duncan heavy swampDloueh. has proved a great success. Land upnn which manuka 20ft. high was growing twelve months ago is now carrying oats, swetlps, arid mangels, and all crops are looking well. Stumps lain, across were turnpcl out by this plough without any difficulty. By this means the ground was brought undor cultivation a season oarlier than could lmvf been the case otherwise.

"Tho crops sown during this yenr consist of—oats, 30 acres; swedes, 10 acres; mangels, 3 acres; potatoes. 6

"Divine service, both for Protestants nnd Roman Catholics, was held every. 'Sunday. I delivered- several lectures to the men upon topical subjects; and Principal Warder Down delivered a course of instruction on pipe and drain laying. The probationary warders were coached for their examinations, mid lectures on penology were delivered to the staff. Two probationary officers were retired for default. With .these exceptions, the staff has worked with zeal and ability."