Abandonment of Oahu prison and a complete reform of the territorial prison system has been recommended to the Legislature by Thomas B. Vance, territorial director of institutions.

Mr. Vance's program was presented to legislators during their weekend visit to the Big Island, where they inspected Kulani prison.

In place of Oahu prison, Mr. Vance wants a modern prison on this island outside city limits for chronic offenders and Kulani prison for less dangerous inmates.

Mr. Vance appeared before the senate ways and means committee this morning, and outlined the same program for the senators.

He stressed the point that 450 parolees a year, according to an actual check, commit crimes. Probably another 450 do also, but they are never caught, he added.

This, he said, is strong proof for the need to send back into society men able to earn a living at some trade other than crime.

Abandonment of Oahu prison and segregation of prisoners are listed as points 1 and 2 of Mr. Vance's would-be overhaul.

The legislators also received a plan for a coordinated highway system to be built with prison labor on the Big Island, plus a statement contradicting “;incorrect information”; on Kulani prison submitted by the Hilo Woman's club to the legislature.

The Woman's club has long and vigorously opposed establishment of Kulani prison on the Big Island.

The coordinated highway system would tie together three prison labor road projects for Hawaii proposed in separate bills before the legislature.

Mr. Vance opposes operation of temporary prison road camps in various open areas and prefers undertaking all Big Island prison road projects from the Kulani area.

The three projects involved are the cross island highway from Hilo to Kona, a road from Humuula to Hale Pohaku and the Mauna Loa summit road.