87

These facts (which are very gratifying), taken in connection with the general good conduct of the prisoners, have enabled me to dispense with the services of one overseer of hard labour gang for eight months of the year, and after careful consideration, I am of opinion that it will only be necessary to place one overseer on the Estimates for the coming year instead of three as heretofore, thus effecting a saving to the Province of £255 10s.

It is an extremely difficult matter to ascertain correctly the value of the Prison labour, the men being employed in making, metalling, repairing, and cleaning the streets in the City and constantly shifting from one job to another. Visitors to this Province from other parts of the Colony, and members of the House of Representatives have frequently spoken to me on the subject and expressed their gratification at the manner in which the prisoners performed their work, some of them remarking that they had often seen prisoners at work in other parts of the Colony but in none had they seen them work so well as in this City.

During the past year there has been an average of twenty-two (22) men employed for 300 days, the Penal Servitude gang averaging twelve men daily, have been employed at Te Aro, and the hard labour gang averaging ten men daily, at Thorndon, Lambton Quay, and other parts of the town.

The gang employed at Te Aro is composed of men under long sentences of Penal Servitude, most of them have been many years at the work; they are competent to perform any kind of labour in connection with road making, and as there are several carpenters amongst them, can also make culverts and repair bridges; they are strong able-bodied men, and are equal in all respects (as far as labour is concerned) to any of the free labourers in the town, and superior to many. I have every reason to believe that if an equal number of these men were employed at the same kind of work with free labourers paid by the day, that at the end of the week the amount of work performed would be greatly in favour of the prisoners.

Taking the rate of wages paid to free labourers at six shillings per day, and making every allowance for the time lost in going and returning from work, and also considering the fact that the prisoners leave work at noon on Saturdays in accordance with the “Prison Regulations,” and likewise that the working hours are shorter in the winter by one hour each day, I think that the value of the labour of these men cannot be estimated at less than four shillings each, per day, being two thirds only of the wages of free labourers.

Twelve men 300 days at 4s. ... £720

About half the gang employed at Thorndon and other parts of the town, is composed of men of a similar class, under long sentences of hard labour; while the other portion is composed of men who are in most cases new to the work, and who have been committed by the Magistrates for short terms of imprisonment only, the labour of this class of men is worth very little, possibly not more than two shillings and sixpence per day; but taken in connection with the longer sentenced prisoners working with them, I think the labour of the whole of this gang may be fairly estimated at three shillings and three pence each man per day,—

Five men at 4 shillings ... 20s.
Five men at 2 shillings and sixpence ... 12s. 6d.

amounting together to the sum of thirty two shillings and sixpence, exactly the sum I have stated.

Ten men 300 days at 3s 3d ... £487 10 0

As I wish to put this matter fairly before your Honor I feel bound to state that two overseers and two gangers are paid by the City Council to go with these prisoners, the duty of the ganger is to direct the work, he also works, or ought to work himself and by so doing earns the wages he receives, the only other duty required of him is sometimes to take a gun for a few moments while an officer retires to obey a call of nature.

The overseers are paid at the rate of 6s 6d per day, the wages of both these men would therefore amount to £203 9s, being 313 days for each at the above rate.

Appropriation for Gaol ... £ s. d.
... 2,870 17 6
Total expenditure ... 2,018 18 11

Expended less appropriation ... £851 18 7