THE PRISONS REPORT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1736, 12 May 1888, Page 3

THE PRISONS REPORT.

In his report Captain Hume, Inspector of Prisons, states that there is less crime than last year, and the cost of maintaining prisoners is also smaller. The prisons and their system are efficient and deterrent, without being cruel or tyrannical. The health of the prisoners has been good, apd much of what sickness is recorded is due to the number of persons who were confined through the effects of drink. There were 169 fewer prisoners during the year. Captain Hume warmly condemns keeping open prisons at siich small places as Timaru, Nelson, and Lawrence as “ disastrous alike to taxpayer and criminal.” The net average cost of each prisoner is £5 16s 3d less in New Zealand than in England. . Prisoners cost no less than £ll6 6s 8d per head in Nelson, and £24 9s im Wellington Prison. He regrets that 113 children under fifteen years have been imprisoned without there being any means of separating them from old offenders. There is a speedy decrease in prison offences. He urges the speedy completion of Auckland and Wellington prisons,and protests against supposed lunatics and persons suffering from delirium tremens being sent to prisons for medical treatment. Regarding the First Offenders Probation Act, Captain Hume says it has worked very satisfactorily, only seven out of 103 of the first offenders treated under the Act having failed to report themselves. They, were rearrested, excepting one, who has escaped. He estimates the saving of expense in admitting prisoners to the benefit of the Act as £3326 for the year.