PRISON-GATE REFORMATORY AT ISLAND BAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 627, 2 October 1909, Page 14

PRISON-GATE REFORMATORY AT ISLAND BAY.

RESII3EfiTS ADVISED NOT TO WORRY. 'jTfou 'caii .ts' ! fhe'.fe>plc of Islaid Bay that Brigadier Bray says' they are not tp for one,'moment in regard, to the establishment of the\Prison-gate Home m'-their disfa«t,,as tb Afmy's experience in all large cities is that ilioy 'have never, met with fetter friends than those reading in the immediate vicinity Of such establishments!'.' , , ' ~ „ ~ So spoke-the. officer m charge of the social work in the. Xorth Island .to . a Dominion interviewer' yesterday. This statement was. of course, the. outcome of: the protest which has been'-made by some of the residents, of Island Bay' against the establishment there .> (on pro-•perh-V at, the-head' of Melrose;. Street, afready purchasedVby the: Array) pt - a 'Pnson*»te H6me e 'or'-Reformatory. Brigadier Bray.-Ho has 1 been "through the mill ,£ tou ' times in connection with the setti t ng-up of such places,, says there is nothing more natural than loi''these/people to protest. Knowing ; m littij about:the ; homes as' they do, ho; would. foubtlcfis say:.- precisely--what/ tliey are sayin o—only^0 —only^ - lo TlS'e : ;homes'were more: indu s trml schools than anything, 'certainly more so than merely for discharged prisoners.—As a matter of. fact,'one iii every three of the occupants of vthese places ,-was 'a- discharged P" 50 ""; ■Takingthe' worst view,' supposing they were all ex-prisoners, the Army authorities would not -be-so.(foolish as;to take all classes, lbs desperate character of confirmed criminal habit is;not' entel'taihed'-ho would not go into the 'home <iii: any case if they would take hl«> As there is iiotliing compulsory about it, only those who' are inclined': tovreformi go to. 'the ■.home, :knowirig ,that by. doing'so they arc gi\en the best- possible: chance of.: following their desires ahd'.leading a more- useful M&-•■.', . - , •The'homes are run on systematic.lines, each I under 'the control' of an ,°fcccr, .the-saniebuilding as his guests. Wulc in tlip home prisoners, and those', knocked out variety" of: ways, • are put -.to,. work gardening, nmt-malcing, and working 111 the workshops, which arte attached' to/cvery home. _ ■!'"We. 1 niake them .earn . 10d..out of--everg shtlling Ve js . what, we boast, sa d Brig'adier-'Bray. ''?At. the same...time, ..vhilp everyone'.'who 'is. able must work; they are_y liberty to leave the'.establishment at <«jy time. Certain/hours , are -kept, ; and all . must obej. And tliey'doiibecauso, they-know it is ;the best 'thing to''do, and frequently many, a man- remains ' in : uiitil * something .turns enabling him ,to. '.Make.,a .clean start ,in life. •. Talk abo?t residents 7 objecting,' look—here are.some,letters froin> , some of'tho leading. people. of '.AucHand w£o. live ' near,:,our «• homo,. at ■ Epsom, in Auck Bray.v wad''the .cbn'tenfa, the names: of the .writers-fsome of 411 over' New Zealand), testifying to excellent manner in iwhich' tlie home ■ w , a ® c , o P? uc J and : the:'good feeling and 'interest which they had in that .branch of the. work. . There was no: mehtion-of :any.. nuisance;.or discomfort 'in'the result"-of'.the proximity of the home. ■ 'Brigadier Bray 'istates- that the™ is. a*:Bineroomed, tivo-story residence .on the block, the A'rmv. has . secured at Island . Bay.: This.is to be. extended 60.'as to provide a • large, dining■foom andc dormitory, .and later.; on workshops will'be erected-in the grounds;near tho house. Some three? or. four:' months '.will elapse before the hope is;-in running order; , . ,