THE PRISONS REPORT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 78, 23 July 1914, Page 4

THE PRISONS REPORT.

The report of the Prisons Department shows that there was an increase in the number of prisoners received during the year, but this was due to abnormal conditions prevailing during a portion of the year, and not to a general increase of crime. The work of providing for more up-to-date prison buildings has ■ been steadily pressed forward, and additions at Auckland and Invercargill have been completed. Further additions to these prisons are in hand. A number of improvements in the more unsuitable buildings—notably at Lyttelton, where the removal of the female prisoners to Addington lias enabled the female wing to be converted for the use of prisoners sentenced to reform treatment, and the separation of awaiting trial prisoners and debtors—have been carried out. This is a distinct improvement on the conditions hitherto prevailing at this prison. At Waikeria the work of erecting the new buildings is well in hand, and the first section should be completed in about twelve months’ time. At no time in the history of prison administration in the Dominion has the profitable employment of prisoners been so great as at the present time. The prisoners at the treeplanting camps are doing work which will ultimately be of great value to the community, but it is, of course, not immediately remunerative. Its value from a reformative point of view is recognised. There is, however, a large proportion of prisoners—what may be called the floating prison population, persons who are continually in and out of prison on short, sentences, many of them derelicts—for whom it will always be difficult to find profitable employment. In time, however, something may be done even for these. It is from the prison farms, says the Under-Secretary, that the best results may be expected, and, properly directed and carried on, these institutions will without doubt in time become more than self-supporting, and relieve the community of a large portion of the cost of maintenance of prisoners.