ANNUAL PRISON REPORT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 52, 22 July 1914, Page 2

ANNUAL PRISON REPORT.

LEY ELul'MliNT OK l'iti'SOX FAKMS. In tlie annual report on ilie prisons of the Dominion, the Umler-seoretary of Justice (Mr ■O. 1!. Jordan) states that there was an increase in the number of prisoners received during the year, and not to a general increa.se ol' crime. The daily average throughout the year s-'Mows a decrease on that of 1912; The expenditure shows an increase over that of last year, hut this is principally due to tlie developmental work at Invercargill, Witikeria, and Aldingtons, increase of stall' in connection therewith, purchase of necessary plant, and expense of transfer or 'prisoners to these prisons. The credits received, however, show a considerable increase—.£73B2 as against £5431 last year. PROFITABLE EMPLOYMENT.

Kef erring to tihe question of tile profitable employment and payment of prisoners, tin? report says that at Invcroargill a. concrete block-making industry lias been established, and blocks are being made for public building's and for sale to the public for private dwellings. Vegetable garden l is being carried on. and tlie produce is sold to the public, v A large, reclamation scheme is being carried out for the Borough Council by prisoners under the supervision of the gaoler, Vho luis been practically responsible for the whole work. The. work has included bridge-building, dredging, and the various works incidental to such an undertaking. The total area reclaimed is albout 200 ft acres. The return to 'the Department for the prisoners' labor will be Wve acquirement, of an area of CSO acres of first-cass farm land which, it is stated, by those in a position to the judge, will be, worth at least £2O per acre, and this land will be utilised as a prison farm for the training of youthful offenders —surely a profitable work, both to the State and the individual prisoners engaged in the I work-.

PRISON FARMS. At Waikeria, where the Department lias some 1000 acres of land, the first prison farm in New Zealand has been established, and, although only a short time lias claused, feome 800 mtiW 'have been cleared and brought into cultivation. Conerete-block-niaking has also been started there, and the prison and .farm buildings will be built by prison labor with blocks made on the spot, there being a large quantity of splendid material available in the river bounding the property. Blocks will also be supplied for the erection of the main building .of the Mental Hospital, which will be located not very far away. , The acquirement of an area of farm land in Canterbury, on which «n up-to-date prison can be built to replace the unsuitable building at Lyttelton. will acord further opportunity for the extension of tSife policy decided upon of providing for the employment in agricultural pursuits of prisoners, who are mostly derived from the unskilled class; and the training of youthful offenders in an occupation which will enaible. them to obtain suitable employment on their release.

The prisoners Tit tfc tree-planting camps are doing work which will ultimately he of great value to the community. There is, however, a large proportion of prisoners—what may be. oaJlod the floating prison population persons who are continually in and out of prison on short sentences, many of tliom derelicts—for whom it will 'always to difficult t.O' find, profitable employment. Tn time, however, sometMng ma'v l>e done even for these. It is from the prison farms that the best results may be expected, and, properly directed and carried on, these institutions will without doubt in time become moie than self-supporting and j relieve the community of a large por- | tion of the co'st of maintenance of. prisoners, who, like the poor, will, 1 am afraid, be always with us.