PRISONS CONTROL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1655, 23 January 1913, Page 4

PRISONS CONTROL.

NEW REGULATIONS IN,FORGE} ; ; SOME IMPORTANT CHANGES.! : :.'. : .New .regulations'- under which, prison! . in v New Zealand, will : henceforward -: ba : : , ,'■ controlled !aud ; '.administered ; havo. 1 bec.a ;■ : ' prepared by the Justice' Department,, and; they will bo published an- the Gazette 'to- ; ;,'.; The 'Minister for, 'justice (the' Hon. A. :•■ ,', L. Herdinan) gavo an explanatory, review,';» of the new. regulations to a llosiiKioN reporter yesterday* .■ .■/ .■ \ ''j : '„ '' j;: ; '■ ' \'Tho new he said,, are. . principally,a consolidation of the existing;' • •regulations-relating:to the v generalmani,.. . .-.- agoincnt and discipline ;of' the ' prisons,. .■■■;;;, which have been revised and brought up ~ to date, but some important, alterations ■ have been ' made in certain, .directions. Hitherto the . duties and responsibilities ; of the various grades orofficials have not, \ been clearly defined, and the staff/has been under ft groat disadvantage ', quiring thorough;'knowledge, 0f;... their,, . duties. - These ' regulations will" remove , this- disability; and. should make: fQifv- , greater efficiency:in the service.., . ■~'■,-. • "General rules arc also mado with re< gard to the admission and .discharge of:; ■ ;■ prisoners and their treatment ur prison* ■■■.■.,- and for the remission' of sontences, and.,., , also for ' the .- classification' of, prisoners sentenced to hard'labour. The term ,o£ probation of three months which a.pns- v oner sentenced to hard labour was re-,, quired to servo in certain oases, before • boing eligibleto cam marks for remission ~ has been abolished.' Rules for, the taking .' , of photographs and Auger pnnts of pris-. v oners have been made. Provision has also , ; r been mado for physical'.drill in tho prisons (this is now, carried out in soma prisons, and it, is intended to extend tho svstcm to all. prisons as, far-as iSprac-i ; ticable), for the educational instruction; . of prisoners and for the diotary of prisoners., -, Rules ore mado with.regard -to the admission of visitors to the:jjnsoni. "As before stated, these regulations deal principally with the general,internal management and discipline, of the,pns- : ons. Further regulations dealing with classification, and the treatment of prisoners sentenced to reformative treatment. arc being'prcparcd.Tho regulations made- ; , 30 years ago: under tho Prisons Act,;ißS2, and additional regulations made in tha year 1900 arq repealed.. I havo not yen , had timo to complete a personal lnspec-i ,-., tion of all the prisons. It is difficult for mo to get away from Wellington. .YVhcit . in the south a. few weeks ago,, as you \ know I inspected the- Invcrcargill Gaol. : nnd I intended to visit the Dun<slin_and. , Timaru prisons and the Hanmer-Tree- . planting Station before returning home, but on account of public business I; had to come'back without oarirm.? out my ~ plan. I hope to get away during Febnw ~ arv for a week or ten.days, and sooK ; r after my return I shall be able to maM, ■> ,r, a statement about tho prisons and pm, ,- ■■ onß management,";. ..,'•■'.■ ■ ■;;- v.- ■-.■-.-..v',- ■ , ;