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In order to give practical application to the old teaching that a healthy mind in a healthy body is a combination much to be desired, and having endeavoured to ensure the former virtue by educational processes as mentioned above, the latter is attended to by encouraging the participation in sport, one variety or other of which is played all the year round. . ~ , , Cricket. —A Borstal team always enters the local competition and, having a wide and changing field from which to select its players, the team has always put up a good performance, with the result that the Le Hoyes Shield was again carried off. Those boys not playing in the match on Saturday are catered for on another part of the ground. Football. —Here, too, there is a competition, and the Borstal team, for the first time m memory, came to the top, though there were three winning teams equal. There is held an annual match, Farm v. Institution, which creates good healthy rivalry and good fun. Tennis. —Many players are quite good. There are now three hard courts in use. Softball; Baseball.—These games are a new introduction and are gaming m favour. I hey affosd plenty of good exercise. Swimmmq.—The tepid baths never fail to attract. All boys are encouraged to learn to swim and are given instruction in both that and m life-savmg. In an examination held during the year eight inmates gained the Bronze Medallion and Intermediate Certificates, « one gained the Intermediate Certificate, and two the Resuscitation Certificate Meetings— General sports meetings are always held on New Year's Day, Labour Day, and Physical Drill.—This is part of the routine instruction and classes arc held regularly in the gymnasium by an instructor from the Southland Boys'' High School. Regular attention is paid to the spiritual needs of the Inmates. The conduct of divine services weekly is arranged by the Ministers' Association for the several denominations which they represent, by a representative from the Roman Catholic Church, and by an officer from the Salvation Army. Bible classes are conducted regularly. „,, , , . . On Anzac Day and Good Friday special services were held, lhese days fell close together m April. A service was also held on Christmas Day. , , Farming operations continue to be the principal industry. The Farm-manager reports that an additional milking-shed has been erected where all the young cows are milked by hand... ihe latter method of milking was adopted for the purpose of ascertaining whether machine-milking tends to cause mastitis. The milk yield last season was quite satisfactory. The sheep flock has been increased, and the wool-clip for the season totalled 65 bales, and the price realized averaged 15£ d. per pound. The number of lambs tailed last season was just over 2,400. . The death of Mr. R. H. Meredith, a member of the staff, was a severe loss to the institution. Mr. Meredith served the Department faithfully and efficiently for a number of years. I desire to record my appreciation of the support given to me throughout the year by the institution staff.

OFFENDERS PROBATION : SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT (UNDER OFFENDERS PROBATION ACT, 1920, AND CRIMES AMENDMENT ACT, 1910) FOR THE YEAR 1943 The Chief Probation Officer to the Hon. the Minister of Justice. The following is the annual report under the Offenders Probation Act and the Crimes Amendment Act for the year ended 31st December, 1943. , , During the year 896 persons were admitted to probation by the Courts, and 130 who were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon and were also ordered to make restitution came under the supervision of Probation Officers. This number is an increase of over 200 over the previous year. The total number who passed through the Probation Officers hands during the year was 2 214 ' The reports received from District Probation Officers, which are not published on account of paper shortage, show that on the whole the probationers have responded well. The number who were convicted of further offences or for breaches of their licenses was 191, or less than 9 per cent, of the number dealt with. This is considered to be a very satisfactory result and is below the average for a number ol yeai A review of the statistics shows that, as in previous years, the majority of the .persons dealt with were in the post-adolescent group, 67 per cent, being under twenty-five years of age and 41 per cent, being under twenty years old. .Only 6 per cent, of the cases involved sexual offences. No less than 604 persons were placed under supervision for theft, and 48 persons were placed on probation for unlawful conversion of cars. „ _ , c , » During the financial year ended 31st March, 1944, £5,421 was collected by way of costs of prosecution and restitution. Parole This group comprises persons released on license after serving a term of imprisonment or Borstal detention, as distinct from those admitted to probation by the Courts. The statistics show that 494 persons were released on probation during the year on the recommendation of the Prisons >oau these 7 were recommitted to detention for breaches of their licenses, and 23, including 9 habitual criminals, had their licenses cancelled for further offences. Considering the obvious handicaps which beset a person under the stigma of having been imprisoned m re-establishing himself m the community the small percentage of failures must be regarded as very satisfactory. The effectiveness of the method of supervision and after-care (and also of the in-care reformative influences) may be judged from the fact that during the five years ended 31st December last 1,688 persons (excluding habitual criminals) were released on probation, and during that period 157, or 9-3 per cent., were returned to prison.for failing to comply with the conditions of their license or for other offences whilst on license and only 26 per cent, have again been convicted subsequent to discharge. General The success of the probation work is largely due to a body of voluntary workers who assist I rotation Officers. I desire to express appreciation of helpful co-operation from the various voluntary after-care organizations, especially to the Women's Borstal Association, who exercise control and oversight of most of the young women released from Point Halswell Borstal Institution. B. L. Dallard, Chief Probation Officer.

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