PRISON REFORM

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 922, 15 September 1910, Page 6

PRISON REFORM

'M^r^mqtj;t'thetir Ewi?RP?os,ALs; /','Eeplyirig'ito':the'criticism-bn'« tho/motion-, ,for '-.the; second reading ,bf ■'■ the; Griines Act' Amendment-Bin,":":/-;'::.; ;;:''/:■:/':::/'.■'

.SThe-.jfoti. 'GHFOWLDS'saidJthat ; there .'•'wtjuld/ 'all-/ .'cases..':';-'-There, /'might ;V be; - an, ; unofficial. ■te.emßer.in.'each district/'; The chief point. ■bfVitho ! measure. .was an' extension' of :,a. principle v. at :TpresohtUaw.; /There,:>'was,'?''!howevcr;, : . this j '. .exception, that; the '.n'ew.'/proposals.-.dealt' with'crime-, in : ■'■If::the.->ihdetcr-' miriat^ 1 "system i : -were ■:.-: applied:: only ;v to 'hardened criminals, the,'best results-could. ;K6t.v.'be,.6Mained : .'.^Las_t;;:yea'r.'33o .persons were convictedon indictment,-.;■.;.and ~40i)3 were.,,summarily; convicted; ('■ He.-did not, think''that'there:'was,'any;:possibility, of 1 any'lmisbarriage-of 'the.';, law., Vlf jaiij; in-; it : could fe remedied' at.tbe/cnd'/pf'three; board. -As 'a-result. of .-4ts/.c'6nstitution, ; ,tho' board able/;to, 'review'casesi-from';p all;: theiraspectsi :/He:'differed-fr'pm 'Mj;.'Hogg-when • he/stated/that there./were,not'-'sufficient; criminals,'in'-: Ijew.-.Zealandi' to "''./-warrant; the-'proposed measure, for he-would-point out that,'itwas / best/ip .get, a proper, 'prison. system;';in'iNew r,Zealahdv -whilst, the country was.' still'.'young.■■■ There was .no for/the manufactures:'of, the prisoners ;to;come into, competition:'with, ordinary- manufactures.■:,/- In'.. the .! matter 'of.,t'reatmeiit;' diversified-employment, was'' /a leading- 1 factor.;, The '.measure >.was fol-' I 'lowing/ on,'.;welT-ascertoined, .-principles. :^.fegaras'-. the clause.-empowering arrest. for'breach'.'of .probation; license, 'he would point-out;;that;,the'licensees'/were-.really prisoners on parole.:-::.!■;,.-....::: .■'.- :,vTho 'Bill was'then read a second time, -i and: referred,-to/'the'-',: Statutes'--Revision-.Committee.'.'/.' :; : >'/;i '"■■'•■■' ■'..-';' -.-v .;/ '■'■:'

: \% . : I ;;;/--NEWvpioPQSALS;CEiTICISED,-- ■ ,' In:'mo'ving'that the Education Anjerid-' 1 ment'/Bill^bb/'Cbmrnitted;'-:/■' -/!. '-,':■-■ :■...-' '! TheiHon: G. POWLDS! stated, that the measure : proyided: inter .' alia . that. . tho. bihepence giant whicli, had '■ been stoppedshould • be -reinstated.' It ■ was also 'proTided; that'-^he.amount!whi.ch each board, .should/pay-:to/the committees,:should.be •jipt/less than- &.■ Cd.'for.caclt child, in! 'daily!'attendance;--' /The'/qualification -in tho'caso.of a member.of.-a'.committee was, prbp'psed.tb.'be' made the same as. in- the .ca9b, ; i!of a ; raember-. bf-a .board.'. It, was ; next !provide'di that children;must attend school ; onz'-eyery,school;'day* /unless- 'a proper// excuso ! is'.; aviailiibtt.;' ■■• Thcrn was' provision that.a-feeble-minded-or- epileptic child might bo detained in ah institution after-.-.the-: ago/of.-.21 It /was / at first proposed- in!/regard tc the contihua'ti»n classes that, half the/time of attendance 'should'-come.'Out of the timJD. i Tho "Education',- .Committee ; had, hbw«vor,'deletbd thai'claiise. .Ho hoped that-the remaining provisions; relating to ,these. classes -would bo: retained; Mr, Massey on Technical Education.,' .; ,Mt; was pkased to '; see ,/that'.-; the- ninepence "capitation grant had- been,-reinstated..'He/would like to,, see the Minister drop, the -provision under .-which-; it: was'proposed that members /shbuld/give!!'a; statutory declaration in opnneotion ..with .;their', expenses . re-turns.'.,'lt-,lbbked';'.likb,,'as ,'if :some '• board members had -been idrawijig more in the way,of.travelling expenses..than they were entitled'.;.';' Cbmpulsoi'y'attendance on all school days would/be a hardship in win-■ter-'iii'-ithii-.-cpuiitry'i-'JiistricU:' ■-,■■■: . Mr. Fo,wlds:.':That would be. a 'sufficient excuse. :■''.' ■ ; ■ ■ Continuing his .remarks,. Mr. Massey Gaid that the .State" had-a duty-in regard to defectives, and he hoped-thatit would perform it • thoroughly.—As regards the proposed continuation classes for children between -li. and 17,,- he thought: that, first of all' the: system c-f technical education should bo porfected, especially in the country : disfricts, He thought that the money would be! well spent if asuitablo man'was sent to Canacla to inquiio'imo their system, of rural technical education. He thought that it was too early.in tho educational history of New .Zealand to oompel attendance a± continuation classes. There was a great deal of dissatisfaction in regard- to. the centralising tendency: in the.'Depart'ment/of Education. He went on to. refeT to the growth of the number of uncertificated teachers. A certificated toaoher was more likely to give satisfaction .than one who had been unable to get a' certificate. ' The worst feature of tho whole affair was that tho ■ teachers were being sent to tha schools in the country districts. Need for Good Teachers in the Back- ! blocks. Mr. GUTHEIE (Oroua) expressed the opinion that the returns in connection iSrith'-the technical education system had

not yet been as great as had been expected. Ho thougnt tliat sufficient safe-, guards weie provided in connection with tho continuation classes. The tact that a teacher-. nas uncertificated. did not show that, he or she was not fitted for the work. . Special inducements should be offered to certifieatcd teachers .to servo in the country districts, "lii some localities there were too many small schools. He thought, also, that there, should not be a hard and. fast rule as-to-when teachers should retire. ' : Mr. (i. M. THOJISON (Dunedin North) strongly approved of some form of .continuation classes. It was a very wise tiling for the Education, Committee to drop the clause providing that half the .time of attendance at sueli classes should cpmo out of the employers' time. In ayoung.country like 2?ew'Zealand such a provision would not have, been- satisfactory.- ■ : Mr. LAUEENSON (LytteltpiO. saidthe. time had come when wo should ask ourselves whether our education system was hot becoming-too literary- to the neglect of the -practical side.". He thought .a committee could, with advantage, be set up to look'into tho question of education. He would attach to every school a school garden,; and teach the children' how to, produce wealth from the soil.. Children were igreat copyists, and what they bad to,do in the school grounds they would; practise - in' ■■■'■ the backyards when they camo home from school. He would have 'the> children taught to grow; vegetables, ifo 'plant flowers, arid to raise trees; and after; deiluctiug the. cost' of'.seeds, etc., 'he would.j<M's>'"'he children incentive by sharing any sriiall profit there might bo" at the end of. the year. .'■'..' /.MK/SIDEX (Dunedin South) thought the Bill was.a decided step forward.. Compulsory Attendance Condemned.s . ■: Mr.-ANDERSON (Mataura); agreed that top: was being, given to the literary eid*. of educa:tiou ) and too little:.:.tb. the., pinctical side.;. AVe were, filling :bur children with' tooi many indigestible facts. .On . the 'whole, he .thought the Bill was in the right direction...- ; - .•.'..• '"'- : . .MTr-VSTALLWOETHY /(Kaipara) ' did vnot'think the country.children should be) placed on the same footing as town child-' 'ien .in'-regard''to attendance at cotitinua;tion ,schools..'.-;lt,,was. wrong, to conipei children. of scattered country; districts, to gu long distances to the'schools.: Mr.'XUKE (Wellington Suburbs). did not: think 1 there, was riuy .need.for. compulsory evening classes.: If thecontiriua;tion school:proposal was passed it: wn s :going. to' be. a disastrous .failure.' It would '-break dowiri; in the -matter of finance and in "the '' Jof getting competent teachers to ,'• give • effect 'to-' the proposal. '.'The 'olause.' should,: be '-reoast- oi-. .thrown out'.- /In, his it/wbuld/be better, • to:.;thoroughly'...equip'' our present technical/'schools. -.. The Bill ar.ose" "out of the "desiro .of '■''■ the, /'directors.: ,'of,.' technical Schools .who, 1 • of/'course,' were desirous of building up-,a Mg' : . system\pu ,their.'side, of education.''.'. "'/■-1.:...', ■'■: ::.Dr.'..".TE:":■, RANGIHIEOA ;';(Northcrn • Maori) dwelt.on tliO necessity fora'medi-' 'cal. inspec'tibnVof.school..chjdreni which :work .could.;..be ■ considerably, -assisted by/ the: school teachers. ....:','-• /'' ''•'' .'-'' .Mr.'•ALLEN (Briice)'said that he vva's entirely in. favour of continuation '.classes, but: was-,not yet .persuaded: that attendance, be inade' 'compulsory. : The question'-.-ofVtbb': health of was, of importance. If the st\idents' had 'been working -hard during- the day; .or 'other, coriditioris'. were, hot fav-' .ourable.'.good ; /restilti"''cou!4' hot :be expected. ..,...::... • ■.:,;.". •...'' ,■.. 'i • . Mr.:;.:M'LAEEN,. .(Wellington. , East) thought; that 'something; in-: the,way' of compulsion;:was-, necessary., to ;'erisure_ the full- benefit -of the. technical, system.' ' ■■■"■ /.v Mr/.'WElGHT.yCWellingtp'n.: South), ; was. of.. opinion.;that compiilsory continuation' olasses.'w'ould ■ prove 'iVery • expensive.' •..•' .'; The motion;, to 'go; into'-Committee, was: 'carried:at; li5 ,r a:m.: '."> : '~-'/-" : ;:; *:".'.".■;'-( ;;' ; ,; ; ■ '•■■"■Mr.'MASSET strongly protested against, .the'proposal; to';deal/with;: the'Bill in ; Committee-that -night.; It would,' he said, smoant tv "Jegislation by exhaustion.-' - ■. ■!.'A motion to report:progress. W as lost :by''32-votesHo;23.':.:''": ;,->;,'':. '■': The; Hori.: G; "POWLDS.said''he wished tohave the; whole of the':BiD .dealt with in;. Committee that'riight with, the excep.tiori; of' Clause 17, providing", for'.compul : sory-continuation classes. "., . '•■'•■,"-, ■'I i'; .Slow progress'is .being /made vwitli,the measure,.only,/the, short; title and :' the next clause "'having been passed; ;at 2.15. ;^/.v!; :/ ; '\ ; X'4(^ f^^ni^; '.^' ; 'i ; ;U''.v ;