SEPT. 18.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2931

taken to Court, so that, if he has any complaint
to make, it can be promptly investigated.
525. When prisoners are searched, the searching
must be done so effectually that all instruments or
articles of property which they ought not to retain
may be taken from them.

In taking possession of property for safe custody
regard shall be had not merely to the value of the
articles but to their capability of occasioning mis-
chief or injury to the prisoners themselves or to
others. For example, serious results have followed
from drunken persons being left in possession of
knives and matches.

526. Prisoners should be searched in the presence
     of the watchhouse-keeper when there is one, or-
     in the presence of a third person, who should be
     invited to witness the search and sign the property
     sheet.

It is only where absolutely unavoidable that a
prisoner should be searched without a witness.

527. Female prisoners must be searched by the
     Matron or female searcher, if any, and if none is
     available, then by a female to be employed for that
     purpose. On no account must they be searched by
     members of the Force.

528. The prisoner’s property sheet shall be made
     out in duplicate, whether the prisoner has property
     or not.

529. If a prisoner is unable to write, the property
     sheet must be read over to him, and he must be
     requested to make his mark, which shall be witnessed
     by a third person.

530. If property belonging to a prisoner is received
     by the Police after he is locked up, it must be
     entered on his property sheet with a note of the
     date and from whom it was received.

If received after the prisoner has been sent to gaol,
a fresh property sheet must be made out and sent
with it to the gaol.

531. Property retained by the Police for the pur-
     pose of investigation or in connection with the
     charge must be entered on the sheet, and the
     signature of the officer who retains it obtained on
     the sheet.

532. When a prisoner is remanded from one
     station to another the property sheets must be
     in triplicate, so that one sheet can be receipted and
     filed at the station where he was arrested, one at the
     station where dealt with, and one at the gaol.

533. If a prisoner is discharged or released on bail
     his property must be handed to him unless wanted
     for further proceedings, and his receipt taken on the
     property sheet.

534. When a prisoner is sent to gaol his property
     must be sent there at the same time with duplicate
     property sheets, one of which must be signed by
     the Gaoler, who shall retain the other.

535. When prisoners without property are sent to
     gaol “ Nil ” property sheets must be sent with them.

536. Receipted property sheets must be carefully
     filed, and the watchhouse-keeper will be held respon-
     sible for the due filing of them.

537. Property taken from a prisoner must remain
     in the possession of the watchhouse-keeper until the
     prisoner has been disposed of, unless the property
     is alleged to be stolen, when it shall be retained by
     the arresting member, who must sign the sheet as
     having retained it.

538. Orders given by prisoners for the payment of
     money or delivery of property shall not be acted
     upon without the sanction of the officer in charge of
     the station.

H

539. Where there is any suspicion that the money
     or property forms part of the subject of a charge
     it must not be handed over without reference to the
     officer in charge of the district.

540. Any order given by a prisoner for the pay-
     ment of money must be stamped in accordance with
     the Stamp Duties Act.

541. If any property is handed over, the receipt of
     the person to whom it is handed should be attached
     with the order to the property sheet, and a note
     made on the duplicate for the gaol that it has been
     so handed over.

542. Where prisoners have money and wish to
     use it for their defence they must be allowed to do
     so, unless such money is directly or indirectly con-
     nected with a charge pending against them, and there
     is a probability that a judicial order may subsequently
     be made as to its return to the prosecutor or other
     person, in which case it must not be handed
     over.

543. No person should be allowed to communicate
     with a prisoner in a watchhouse unless with the
     sanction of the officer in charge of the station. If
     the officer in charge sanctions such an interview, it
     must be in the presence of a member of the Force.

The only exception to this rule is in the case of
solicitors or their clerks whom the prisoner may wish
to consult; they shall at all times be allowed access
to the prisoner, and a member of the Force must
keep within view but beyond hearing.

544. Persons not connected with the Police Force
     must not be allowed to frequent watchhouses, but
     exceptions may be made in favour of members of
     the Press and persons representing societies for the
     assistance of discharged prisoners.

545. Prisoners should be classified as much as
     possible, persons charged with drunkenness, minor
     offences, and crimes being separated.

546. Male prisoners must be kept strictly apart
     from female prisoners.

547. Where young persons have to be locked up
     they must be kept separate from adults.

548. Mental defectives should always be kept
     separate, and placed in a padded cell where there is
     one, and should be disposed of as soon as possible.
     They should be visited every half-hour or oftener,
     and particular care taken that there is nothing in
     the cell or on their person with which they could
     injure themselves.

549. Ordinary prisoners must be visited every two
     hours.

550. All prisoners when placed in a cell should
     have collars and ties, belts, braces, and handkerchiefs
     removed, and, if drunk, their shirt-collar should be
     loosened; and if the weather is cold, care must be
     taken that they are properly covered with sufficient
     blankets.

551. If a prisoner’s clothes are wet they must be
     removed and dried.

552. A cell-door must be kept securely locked so
     long as a prisoner is confined in such cell. So also
     must the door be locked leading into the cell yard
     or passage.

553. The keys of all locks belonging to the lock-up
     premises must be kept by the watchhouse-keeper,
     who must open and close all cell and yard doors
     personally, and shall on no account allow any other
     person to do so.

554. Where a Matron is stationed she shall, how-
     ever, have charge of the keys of that part of the
     lock-up set apart for the accommodation of female
     prisoners.