DOMINION PRISONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1782, 21 June 1913, Page 5

DOMINION PRISONS.

_—» THEIR STATE TO-DAY. HON. A. L. HERDMAN'S REVIEW SOME CHANGES COMING. OLD & NEW GAOL REGIMES A oomprelionsivo statement 011 tho subject of prison control was mado yesterday by tho Hon. A. L. Herdman (Minister for Justice). It embodies, in tho first place, a roviow of the existing prison establishments in tho Dominion, based upon a personal inspection of those places which, tho Minister has made sinco ho assumed office, and seoondly tho changes and improvements in prison buildings and equipment which, ho thinks necessary, in tho future. After touching upon tho early Now Zealand legislation relating to gaol management, tho Minister remarks tiat, compared with tho prisoner of fifty or sixty years ago, tho modern criminal in New Zealand leads a rather easy lifo. On tho treo-plauling camps, for instance, ho lives in tho open air, enjoys n good cli- ■ male, does work which is healthy andi not too hard, is providod with good food 1 and clean quarters, and is permitted buoli privileges as magazines, books, papors, and tobacco. "I don't think," oontinued tho_ Minister, "that any alteration of a radical nature was mado in our prison system, until tho late Mr. M'Gowan's term of office. When Minister for Justice, ho 6tartod tho ti;ce-planting stations, and in tho year 1900 ho passed legislation based, I think, on Australian legislation, which' empowered tho Judgo to declare, as part of tho sentence to an inveterate offender, that ho Lo'considered an' 'habitual criminal.' The habitual criminal may bo detained for a short period or ho may bo kept in gaol for tho rest of his lifo, hip fato depending entirely upon his conduct. If a man 6hows signs of improvement, if ho behaves himself in gaol and works woll, tho Prisons Board may recommend tho Governor to liberate him upon probation, or may recommend his discharge, in which ca3a tho declaration that ho is an habitual criminal will coaso to bo in force. This legislation has .been well tested now, and I believe that it is working witli a fair amount of success. The gaoler at New Plymouth, informed mo' that quite a number of tho 'habituals' released are turning out well. No do\ibt tho dread of lifelong detention if no should happen to return stifles tho enterprise of tho seasoned t criminal and forces him to. look for a living in legitimate channels. I was glad also to le? rn from Mr.' Coyle, tho gaoler at Now Plymouth, .that ho never has any difficulty in -obtaining employment for 'habituals released on probation. Reformative Treatment. "In the year 1910 Sir John FindlaV passed tho Crimes Amendment Act, which 1 ompowers a Judgo or magistrate, having regard to the conduct, character, associations, or mental'condition of the prisoner, tho.nature of.the case, or any special circumstances, to direct,"as part of the prisoner's sentence, that on tho expiration of his torm of imprisonment, he bo detained in prison for reformative purposes, or, without imposing any term of imprisonment, to direct that he bo detained for reformative purposes. This Act also provides for tho creation of a Prisons, Board, an institution of great value performing very important duties. low legislation, l'iko tho legislation dealing with tho 'habitual criminal, had Its. origin in Australia. • . '' Tho Prison Population. "At tho present time there aro oonfincd in the Now Zealand gaols:—

59 habitual criminals. 12 prisoners undergoing hard labour ,6<mt©nc£s'&nd declcirod t)0 bo habitual criminals. 104 detained for reformative treatment. 48 prisoners undergoing hard labour sentences to bo followed by r*v formative detention. ... Gl9 prisoners working at hard labour sontonces over three months. "Since Maroh 2,1011: 42 linbitual criminals, and 82 prisoners detained for reformatio treatment, have been released on probation on tho recommendation of tho Prisons, Board. On tho recommendation of tho board 8 prisoners who wero sentenced to reforma< tivo detention liavo been discharged, and ono was transferred to an industrial school. Fifteon 'habituals*. and. 8 reformative detention prisoners released on the reoommendation of the board havo been returned to prison, .l our 'liabituals' and ono reformative detention prisoner so released havo absconded. Anomalies Removed. "When I took charge of tho Prisons in, July of last year, I found that there existed amongst tho officers a certain amount of unrest, but tho causes leading up to this state of affairs havo sinco boon removed. An amended scalo of classification of salaries, remedying, and removing anomalies, and providing for increases of pay to nearly all ranks of the prison service, was brought into force at the beginning of the year, 'l'ho prisons aro under the control of the Under-Secre-tary for Justice, this change being mado in 1909. Since that year tho inspection of prisons has been carried out by tho Inspector-General of Mental Itospitils, assisted, apparently, by tho prison advisor. As, however, tho greater part of the Inspector-General's timo was necessarily taken up with tho duties of that important position, I deemed it advisable to provide for the closer and more frequent inspection of prisons, and therefore obtained the necessary authority under tha Prison Amendment Act of last session to appoint a deputy-inspector. Tho position was filled from tho Civil Service, and tho officer in question has boon paying close attention to tho work of inspection since tho beginning of tho year. Tho position of prison adviser has been abolishod, 'tho former occupant of that office having been placod in chargo ot the Waikeria Reformatory Farm, referonoo to which will bo mado later.

Progressive Improvements. "During the last ten months a close hold has been kept upon the gaol work of the Dominion, and gradually but certainly,, improvements' aro being effected..'' Übsoloto' regulations ■ which ■ liad- beou m existence- suice 1883 havo beenjepealed, and now regulations, which I believo are working well> liavo been gazetted, lvcgulations dealing with prisoners sentenced to reformative detention havo been dratted, ami will bo brought into force shortly. It is quite impossible, without the expenditure of largo sums of money, to do much iu tho .way pf .classification, and what is called reform work, homo of our gaols, such' as Lyttelton, Wellington, and Napier;' aro obsolete, ana are not constructed so'as to admit of tho successful, working of any. complete internal, (schemo of classification. Until money is available for tho bonfitructioii of modcm institutions, a perfect system of classification cannot bo devised, but oven with the limited, means at tlio. disposal Of this State, a commencement, has been mado to improve general. conditions. 1 have already referred'to'the valuablo legislation passed by Mr. M'Gowan and Sir John i'ihdlay, and to the importance of tho work dono by tlio Prisons Board.. Other steps to advanco prison motliods in JNcw Zealand have been taken, such as tho following:— , M „ "(1) The Now Plvnuiuth Prison is set apart for habitual criminals only. "(2) ,T)» Addington Gaol has been refitted the grounds have been improved, and what was a dilapidated building lias been converted into a satisfaotoij and commodious institution for female prisoners only. . "(3) Tho InvCTcargill Prison, a well-built structure, is used for prisoners whoso, ages, generally, do not exceed 25 years. Tlio prison is well-bunt, wcU-hghlod, scrupulously clean, and healthy, and 'i? managed iu a highly-efficient manner by tho present gaoler, Mr. Hawkins. . Tlioro is a schoolroom on the promises, and the services of a teacher havo been made' nvailablo. Somo of tho prisoners aro engaged making concrete blocks for building purposes, and others aro engaged in an important nieoo of. reclamation work nt tho back of tiw town of InvercmeiU.

This work, when completed, will give the prison an area of 650 acres of valuable farm - land. This prison was in full swing, and tho work referred to' above was in progress when I took office, and has since been vigorously continued. When additions to this prison are completed, it may bo possible to classify tho prisoners. Meanwhilo tho institution can certainly be regarded as reformative in oharacter. .Waikeria Prison Farm, "(4) Tho Waikeria Prison Farm, a property consisting of about 1200 acres, situated 12 miles from Te Awamutu, is in the initiatory stages of development. A portion of the area has been cleared, drained, ploughed, and sown in, grass; while a certain amount of cropping has been done since the first batch of prisoners was established there in July of last year. Plans and specifications for the erection of a modern prison have been prepared, and the work of building is being commenced. There being large deposits of shingle and sand on the property, the buildings will be of concrete blocks, and the work of construction will be carried out chiefly with prison labour. About 30 prisoners are now engaged in carrying on farming and development work, making the necessary .excavations for tho foundations of the permanent prison building,'constructing roads and building fences. The farming and development of the property is boing carried out upon a, plan laid down by Mr. M'Connell, the manager of the Ruakura State Farm. Mr. M'Connell has inspected the work done since'he gave his initial directions, and has' expressed himself as being satisfied with the progress made. It is intended to use this institution for .prisoners of the better type. When completed- it will provide accommodation for 300 prisoners.

Tree-planting Camps. ! "(5) Tree-planting Camps.—There are at .' present three tree-planting camps, Han:mer, ,Waipa, and the Kaingaroa Plains,iAs the upkeep of Hanmer is expensive, 1 l and as the men available are wanted nt i Waipa and KaingaToa, this camp will be 'closed in .October, and the prisoners and ! officers removed. Tho work done in the [north at tho tree-planting camp is:quite'a 1 revelation. Thousands of acres of bare hillside and barren country have" been covered;' with' millions 'of -trees, and- tho | aspect of miles-of country which was' at ! one time' covered "with manuka scrub, [fern, and pumice dust, has been changed. There'is the risk of the good work done ; being speedily, undone, by fire, but no doubt the officers of the Forestry Bspart[meht'who superinte'nd;the work;are,Mly 'alive to the risk." Only the-better• class, . ! of prisoners.' are sent' .to the tree-planting; ,'camps. - The City Prisons. ! "The only other >pris'ons of. any importance'in New Zealand are the Mount Eden, the-Wollington, and the -Lyttelton Prisons. The Mount. Eden Gaol is the only Teal penal prison in the Dominion. All. 'sorts' of- prisoners enter this gaol, ■ In .'time it will' become tho home of the ('hardened and dangerous Criminal, as its '.massive , stone walls prevent any possibility of escape. .. About .300'.prisoners.are •tat present confined- in' this- prisonV" Some 'are employed in the stone,'.quarrito'iin' the, (neighbourhood of the'prison, som©in'; the : [yards dressing stone, and others are em-, jployed at various other occupations, such as bootmaking, making prison clothes, etc. : I was highly pleased with the way idn which this institution was managed by the gaoler, Mr. Ironside.

Obsofete Gaols, , '. "The Lyttelton". and' Wellington Gaols are obsolete, while Dunedin Prison, although a fins brick building,- on modern, lines, is badly situated for prison purposes, and owing to' the lack of means of employment, is unsuitable for the con-finement'of-the number of prisoners for which it is designed. Ii; has now been reduced to the status of. a ; second-class prison, and is utilised almost \entirely for a limited-, number of short-sentence prisoners. . Projected Developments. "I hops that in .time to come the institutions; at, Lyttelton and • Wellington , ivill 'cease 'to exist : as\ first-class prisons, and that some other more suitable insti'iutions situated, away from tho cities altoJgethpr, will take their , places.- With ■Mount ' Eden' " finally completed "(ad-' '■diti6ns .are still being made ;at this prison), , the Waikeria Farm in l full operation, the New Plymouth Gaol ■increased in size, and small short-sentence establishments "at" Wellington, " Napier, and Gisborne, the North Idarad should be well enough equipped with gaols for many yeara to come. In tho South Island steps should be taken to establish in tho country a penal .establishment on lines similar to the one in the North Island at Waikeria, to winch prisoners not snitable_ for Invercargill could be sent. The Minister for Lands has been asked to instruct .his. officers to report as to whether or not there is available in some country district in' the South Island, mot far removed from a railway,'any Crown land which would bo suitable for prison pur- . poses. i

"With the InvercaTgill prison fully developed, a large prisbn establishment in the country, tho Addington Gaol for woman, and witli' Dunedin and Lyttelton supplied with small institutions for shortsentence and' 'waiting trial' prisoners, the South Island should be well served ■with gaols. There aro other works in the country more urgent-, than the prisons. The land in'the North'lsland must be opened, roads musl; be made, bridges must bo built, university colleges are urgently in need of monetary help, and are justly clamouring for assistance. These are all 'matters requiring prompt attention. The : assistance which the prison establishments 'of New Zealand want can be given by degrees. There is no need to run hurriedly; into the expenditure of large sums of 'publio money on gaols. Tho conditions under which prisoners live when confined ■in our existing institutions are quite : satisfactory. There is nothing, even, in ..those of our establishments which are obsolete, to prevent strict discipline being • enforced, and hard work being insisted upon; and if there is ample scope for the application of these, principles, there is very littte to cavil at.' If, in addition to this, the Stato can make the prisoner work at some occupation (farm work, for .instance) which mayhelp-to make him a useful citizen whoa he is liberated; if ho gets physical training, some elementary education, and good food, tlhen, having in mind that he is a person whoso liberty haa been curtailed because of his own misconduct, it may reasonably "bo held that a considerable improvement has been effected, and there is really no reason why all these conditions should not exist, even with the admittedly inefficient machinery at the disposal of tli© Stato to-<lay. Assets for Disposal. "While, as I have already stated, it is neither necessary nor desirable to undertake a large immediate expenditure on new prison buildings, in view'of themoro urgent requirements' of the'country in other directions, the' eventual abandonment of the prisons at Wellington, Napier,' and Duncdin, and the land on-which they are built, should provide a realisable asset from which might be derived sufficient funds to meet all the expenditure on prison buildings and equipment that i 9 likoly to bo required in tho near future. Tho properties in question are so situated that, although ■ the sites are exceptionally valuable, they are unlikely to:; be suitable: for other Government-purposes, and power should be takdn to allow of their sale' or . lea?e, and the-earmarking of the monoys so derived for* the purposes of .tho Prisona say in conclusion that the question of extending tho probation system to hard-labour prisoners has been under consideration. In New South' Wales the legislation empowers the authorities to discharge any .prisoner absolutely or on license. If the prisoner is dischargejl onlioenso, then bo gets-his liberty subject to certain conditions, tho breaking of which means his return to prison. Similar legislation was proposed in England in 1912, but whether"it actually came into operation, I do not know. Inquiries are being made for the purpose of ascertaining whether this legislation, is working successfully."