H.— 20

8

office grounds to keep them in order. Attention was devoted to gardening operations, which gave good results, providing vegetables and potatoes for prisoners' use all the year, and a large quantity of seed-potatoes for present crop, which promises to be good and abundant, and, I have every reason to believe, profitable. A number of ladies and gentlemen contributed books and periodicals to the prison library, which were much appreciated. The First Offenders' Probation Act. There were 3 probationers at the beginning of the year; 2 were placed on probation in the district; 1 received from another district; 4 were discharged, having satisfactorily carried out the conditions of their licenses; 2 remaining at end of the year. Alex. Armstrong, Gaoler and Probation Officer.

Ltttelton Prison. H.M. Prison, Lyttelton, 23rd January, 1905. I have the honour to report on the working of this Prison for the year ended the 31st December, 1904. Received during the year, 628 males and 127 females; discharged, 674 males and 127 females: leaving 71 males and 31 females at the end of the year, being a considerable reduction of males, owing to the numbers transferred to tree-planting stations. Prisoners have been employed during the year at Ripa and Quail Islands, the Artillery Barracks, the Sumner Road, and stonebreaking, the metal being sold to the Lyttelton Borough Council. The female prisoners have been employed washing, sewing, &c. Only four prisoners were punished during the year ; no aggravated offences occurred. The health of the prisoners has been good; one prisoner sent to the Christchurch Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound on the wrist, self-inflicted prior to his arrest for theft, having fully recovered after two months, he was returned to the Prison and discharged. The rations supplied to prisoners under contract have been very good. No complaints during the year. The conduct of the officers has been very good. The First Offenders' Probation Act. A youth sixteen years of age was placed on probation for six months, and ordered to pay £3 to his late employer, whose money he embezzled. He has reported himself regularly, but in consequence of being "unable to obtain steady employment, he has not been able to make any payments up to the present, but has promised to do so as soon as he can. M. M. Clbart, Gaoler and Probation Officer.

Napier Prison. H.M. Prison, Napier, 24th February, 1905. I have the honour to report on the working of this Prison for the year 1904. In confinement at commencement of the year, 38 males, no females ; received during the year, 251 males, 24 females; discharged during the year, 252 males, 19 females: in confinement at the end of the year, 37 males and 5 females. The conduct of the prisoners was good; there was only one punishment for the year. The rations were good, and it is to the credit of the contractors that there was not a complaint during the year. The prisoners were employed in the quarry and building the boundary-wall. This work which is drawing to completion, is pronounced by people competent to give an opinion as equal to anything of its kind in New Zealand. The health of the prisoners was good. Two Natives who were far gone in consumption had their sentences remitted by His Excellency the Governor on the report of the Prison Surgeon ; one was sent to the District Hospital, where he died shortly after his release : the other Native was taken away by his friends. There were no reports against officers, and I must say, notwithstanding the monotony of the routine, the duty has been carried out with very little friction. The Sunday services have been carried'out by a gentleman, and a lady visits the females at the same hour. On behalf of the prisoners I would like to thank several ladies and gentlemen in Napier for supplies of periodicals and magazines. I regret having to mention the death of one of our Visiting Justices, Mr. Lyndon, who, notwithstanding his great age, visited till within three months of his death. The First Offenders' Probation Act. I have the honour to report on the working of the First Offenders' Probation Act in this district during the year 1904. Reporting himself at the beginning of the year was one male, who finished and paid costs satisfactorily. Seven males and one female were placed on probation during the year. All were transferred to other districts, mostly police districts. I consider the constables in charge of these districts deserve credit for the way they carry out the duties of Probation Officers. I have not heard of any defaulters during the year, or any complaints. Michael Flannert, Gaoler and Probation Officer.