AUCKLAND GAOL ENQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1241, 25 September 1911, Page 6

AUCKLAND GAOL ENQUIRY.

CHARGES AGAINST A WARDER, The report of the Board of Inquiry set up under the Civil .Service Act, 1008, to inquire into certain charges made ugainst Ernest. William Baxter, a w«rtlw in his Majesty's.. prisnn at Aucidand, was laid on ■ the. tabla of the I'-hiso of Jtoprosontatiws by the Prinio Minister na Friday afternoon. The bo.vrd consistrd of Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., and Mr. E. C. Ciitten, S.M. Tho report stated that it was proved to tho .satisfaction of tho board that immoral .relations bad existed.tetvr«m.Bax- : Mr nud a woman who visited the prison, where her brother was a prisoner. Thcv held tliat tho accusation that Baxter hail caused an illogil operation to be perlormed on the woman was not proved ,f,1 V n not T! cr ttCcusatio » was that in October, 1910 Laxter conspired : with one Ida J.ishop to procure through, the gaoler at Auckland miduly favourable treatment for her brother, Charles Kolton, thon a ynsoner in the Auckland prison. Th» only evidence ,i;i support of this accusation was contained in four type-written letters from Baxter to Mrs. Bishop. These letters suggested to her that she should communicate'with the gaoler, and contained a draft letter, which Baxter su" Rested should be sent )»• Mrs. iJishop to the gaoler. Airs. Bishop accordingly wrote .to Hie gaoler, enclosing a letter to her brother, The letter to the gaoler-was destroyed by him, and could not bo pro'V lc ™. at the inquiry. The board found that the evidence did not sustain this accusation in the form in which it was made, but the evidence established that .Laxrer was guilty of, grossly improper , liisl "" T, ' ntlng Sllch lcttets to Mrs." When Sir Joseph Ward laid tho report on tho table, he was asked by Mr. Maljy when ev,de,,co would bo tabled. He" replied that this would bo done as soon as possioio, Ciln Ar s° r • Knx , tt ' r ' 3 , dismissal . from the Uvil Borneo, has been gazetted.