REFORM OF THE DRUNKARD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 901, 22 August 1910, Page 3

REFORM OF THE DRUNKARD.

-4 ; ■ A BENEFICENT. MEASURE. Tho work which is being carried on By' the Salvation Army in the inebriates institution at Pakatoa Island is being considerably facilitated by the .- Ketprmatory Institutions Act passed last year. As a result of the operation of tho Act, says Staff-Captain Barnes, who is,' in charge of the social work of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, the atmosphere of tho institution has been quite changed. When the''liome was'first opened it received the most hopeless specimens of the drunkard, -.men who .had.come..before the Police Court on several occasions, and who, in many cases, had no desire for reformation. Now, -> under tho clauses allowing for voluntary committal,- and committal on tho anplication of relatives, and with the larger discretion allowed to magistrates, a considerable proportion of tho inmates are men of: a better stamp, men who havojnot been entirely enslaved by drink, and who still retain enough manhood to desire their own reformation. The moral tone of the whole institution has been changed, for the presence ,of a proportion.of men who arc striving to conquer the drink habit has a helpful influence 'even on the most seasoned topers. Staff-Captain Barnes looks forward with great confidence to the success of tho work. He informed a reporter that even with the difficult class of men received ;at first there had been an average of 30 per cent, of' cures, and 'with . tho bettor class of inmates and < the facilities for classification which the new building on Kuthe's Island will afford this percentage should be considerably increased. Tho furnishing of the new ■ building will be ready in about two months, and will bo brought into use as soon as possible. The annual report of the prisons of New Zealand states that both tho inebriate institutions of the Dominion are full. .There are 50 at'Pakatoa and-ten at Christchurch. It seems probable,;.'.tho Under-Secretary, for Justice adds,- '.that the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board 'will close the Samaritan Home, Christchurch, in which case I shall propose that the building be converted into a prison for women. "When the Habitual 'Drunkards Act was'passed," he adds, "it was not contemplated' that a large number of the persons subject, to its provisions would be cured of the drinking habit; It was' admitted that the plan of sending these, .unfortunate people to gaol for, short periods was a failure; thev simnly caino- and became derelicts again. It was thought that by sweeping these derelicts off the streets, and placing tliem in healthy surroundings for at least a year, they would have a chance of reforming' themselves. I believe tho experiment, so far as it has-gone, has been fairly successful."