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other departments attached to it, very little increase was possible.

Some additional accommodation has thus been provided for the Matron, whose accommodation was previously very insufficient, and a corresponding small addition to the accommodation allotted to female prisoners, which latter remains, however, in our opinion, altogether insufficient, not affording the least means whatever of classification.

3.—Additions required.

The additions required are, in our opinion, means for carrying out classification in both male and female departments, and of separating prisoners who ought to be separated, of which means there exist, at present, absolutely none. There are but two adult yards in the male department, and but one yard altogether in the female department. We have already taken occasion to observe to your Honor, that, in England, where the modern or reformatory system of gaol discipline has been established, long sentence prisoners are divided into four classes, with a system of promotion from one to the other, with separate yards, mess-rooms, dormitories, and even dress, while other prisoners are similarly divided according to the nature of their offence. Here, all the long sentence or penal servitude men are in one yard, and all the hard labour or short sentence men, whatever their degree of criminality, in the other. The females are all in one yard and one association, without any regard either to age or antecedents. It is, of course, hopeless to dream of any effectual reformation under such circumstances; indeed, quite a contrary result is rather the one to be expected. It is, however, clear, that, for the purposes of a reformatory system, considerable expenditure, not only in additional buildings, but in total re-arrangement, is indispensable. We are aware of the existing inability to incur such an expenditure, but deem it to be nevertheless our duty, under the Clause, in obedience to which we write, to draw attention to these absolute requisites towards the realization of any rational hopes of success from the introduction of a reformatory system.

We are also of opinion, that workshops ought to be provided, wherein the skilled labour of prisoners of all trades represented within the Gaol, and not required for the purposes of the Gaol or other public establishments, might be employed by tradesmen or others desirous of such labour. We believe that a considerable contribution towards the expenses of the Prison might thus be obtained, the wages of such labour being carried to the credit of the Gaol account.

Gaol wall now in process of erection. We do not know what use is made of, or profit derived from, any broken stone in excess of what may be required for the purposes of the Gaol or Gaol approaches, but such ought, obviously, to be sold to neighbouring Highway Boards, or other persons requiring it, and the proceeds carried to the Gaol account.

The quarrying consumes a great deal of time, with a result hardly commensurate, in appearance, with the money value of the time expended. This arises from the infrequency, in the banks that are being excavated, of stones suited to the construction we have mentioned, the Prison wall. It must, however, be remembered that the banks or cliffs in question would have, at any rate, to be removed, in order to clear and level the whole of the area that is finally to be enclosed by the Prison wall.

This wall, from the same cause, progresses now but slowly, but will no doubt proceed far more rapidly when, the present banks being got rid of, the quarrying for stone shall take place where stone in suitable blocks is more plentiful.

4.—Hard Labour.

The general hard labour consists of stone-breaking, quarrying, and facing stone for the purposes mentioned. In a former paper observed to your Honor that a considerable profit might be secured to the funds of the Gaol, in diminution of the public charge on account of the establishment.

5.—Skilled Labour.

The labour at particular trades, such as tailoring, shoemaking, carpentering, blacksmith’s work; and, in the female department, sewing, washing and mending, is carried on by the prisoners to such extent in each trade as the wants of the Gaol, the Hospital and Lunatic Asylum require. Any surplus trade labour in the male department, i.e. not in demand for the above establishments, is of necessity put upon the general hard labour list, such prisoners being employed, like the others, in quarrying and stone breaking. Of course the labour of skilled artizans would be more profitably employed in their own trades, and if workshops, such as we have spoken of above, were erected within the Gaol area in which such employment could be followed, at a fixed wage for the outside public, we are of opinion that a considerable profit might be obtained.

6.—Conduct, and Observance of Rules.

The Visiting Justices have much pleasure in reporting that the conduct of the prisoners is, upon the whole, extremely good and satisfactory. Instances of disobedience or insubordination are extremely rare, and, with few and only occasional exceptions, the labour is given willingly and with good heart, as (we think) the recent returns of labour in estimated money value are calculated to show.

The prisoners are very carefully attended to by ministers of various persuasions, and we have little doubt that, with proper