“IN PRISON”

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24913, 28 June 1946, Page 6

“IN PRISON”

MR dallaeWrecent ADDRESS REPLY TO CRITICISM IN « THE PRESS” Mr B. L. Dallard, Controller-General of Prisons, writes as follows to the Editor of “The Press ’:— “I observe you devoted a column to a leading article in your issue of June 21, most critical of me and my recent address to the Wellington Rotary Club. As your leader was m such markea contrast to local editorial opinions whose papers had the advantage of having reporters present to hear my talk, I feel you must have misconceived the facts, and trust, in the public interest and in the interest of common fairness, you will do me the justice of affording me space to controvert yoyr allegations of misrepresentation.

“Took Care to be Specific” “In the first place, let me say I did not discuss prisons nor penal metnoas. The theme pi my talk was directed to pointing out the need for a more wholesome and realistic public attitude to crime. You suggest that instead of generalising I should have been specific. In actual fact I took care to be specific, and by way of example, in support of my submissions, amongst other things I read extracts direct from Mr Burton’s book and deplored that a book containing such philosophies should be endorsed by reviewers in Church magazines. “Space precludes me from quoting all the paragraphs I read. I disagreed with his excusing philosophy regarding thieves and said it was mischievous to romanticise the thief as of the Robin Hood type. I questioned the truth of Mr Burton’s assertion that ‘Not many cases of assault are regarded as very serious’ and gave examples to show that assaults are very grave. Mr Burton says he ‘feels suspicious about many cases of rape’ and adds ‘in very many cases I think the woman has been an inciting and consenting party to a point where she has only herself to blame for the consequences. I pointed out that this was false and unfair and that in my. long experience the majority of the cases involved the ravishing of folk of tender years where there was no encouragement whatever. “Book Morbid and Pernicious” “Lt was in regard to sex perversion, which even literary brilliance does not justify, I stated the book was morbid and pernicious, and I still regard it so. He dilates upon perversion as follows: ‘lt arises from the physiological need of the male to ejaculate seminal fluid, from the deep-seated necessity that this shall be accompanied by an emotional movement towards another person . . . ’ He. goes on to write, ‘whether the perversion should be regarded as a legal crime is a very moot point.’ He admits that it is unnatural and disgusting, but adds ‘if both parties are of age and consenting it would not seem more of a crime than illicit sexual intercourse of a normal kind/ Surely, ‘The Press’ .does not endorse such philosophies. “I contrasted his solicitude for the criminal with hiS disparegement t>f the warders, or ‘screws,’ as he was pleased to term them. You allege that I have misrepresented him in this regard. As you say you have read the book you must realise that it is simply dishonest to say that Burton did not studiedly and deliberately disparage the warders with a view to discouraging recruitment Indeed, it is a grossly wicked libel to write that: ‘A small percentage are homo-sexuals . . . but the majority are men who have hot done well at other things, the misfits and inefficients. . . I think a lot of the men now warders are the flotsam and jetsam of the great depression. . . . All the higher officials in the gaols are simply promoted turnkeys.’ “Mr Burton was not harshly critical of me personally—he had no occasion to be, for the reason that I went out of my way to ensure that, having regard to his peculiar mentality, his lot should not be too hard in prison. He was treated throughout by the warders with the utmost consideration and courtesy.

Canadian Minister Quoted “The Minister of Justice for Canada recently remarked: ‘The work of the prison official does not bring much gratitude or satisfaction. There is no occupation more open to criticism than that of prison warders, working all the time earnestly and satisfying nobody. To take over a gang of 20 men of different temperament, keep them steadily at work guard agrinst escapes and violation of the prison rules, be prepared at any moment to endanger one’s life, or ready to grapple with a refractory prisoner, and yet bring the men back at closing a little better for being under one’s supervision develops high qualities of manhood/ “Instead of disparagement there should be gratitude to a loyal body of men who devote their lives to the service and safety of the public. “As to your final word, let me say thank God in a democratic community private opinions may still be expressed in the interests of the public well being. Though a civil servant I am none-the-less a citizen and a taxpayer. The path of criticism is the open way, and any honest person may walk therein, as alas sometimes the ignorant do. “I am enclosing a copy of my address, so that you may see that it was neither vicious nor ‘hot,’ as you term it. After perusing you may have the decency to retract and apologise.” “The Rotary Club is having my address printed and copies will be available to any who may be interested,” Mr Dall? rd says in a postscript.