RELEASE OF PRISONERS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 51, 24 November 1926, Page 10

RELEASE OF PRISONERS

PRISONS BOARD TO REPORT

MR. ELLIOTT NOT SATISFIED

“FULL INQUIRY IMPERATIVE”

over prema. ture prison releases reached a further stage yesterday, when it was announced that the Prisons Board had been asked by the Government to furnish a report on certain aspects of the question. The Rev. Howard Elliott’s reply to that announcement was that a statement of abstract principles of procedure would not pacify the public demand, and he indicated that if Cabinet declined the request for a Royal Commission into all of his charges he would call an indignation meeting in the Town Hall and, if necessary, promote a petition for presentation to Parliament.

The statement issued to the Press by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice (Hon. F. J. Rolleston)- yesterday was as follows: — “The Government has asked the Prisons Board for a report setting out the principles on which the board acts in recommending the release of prisoners and dealing with the facts in regard to the cases of Baume, Mackay and Baker.

“This report will probably not be available until after the next sitting of the board, which is fixed for the second week in December, but it will be published as soon as received.” MR. ELLIOTT'S REPLY’.

The Rev. Howard Elliott replied as under to the Minister’s statement quoted above:—

“The belated decision of the Minister of Justice to call for a report from the Prisons Board on the Baume, Mackay, and Baker cases indicates that the Minister has awakened to the reality and strength of public resentment and condemnation of the decisions of the board in these cases. Apparently Mr. Rolleston has realised also that his opinion as to the exalted immunity of the Prisons Board from criticism is not shared by the public. The demand that light should lie let into the proceedings of the board and into the administration of justice will not be satisfied or pacified by a careful statement of abstract principles of procedure. The facts prove that these principles, whatever they are, arc absolutely broken down. What, then, is the use of our proclaiming them ? The decisions of the board in these cases referred to prove their failure and create a justifiable fear that the same principles of procedure have broken down in other cases wherein no release has been granted. “The facts that have come to my knowledge since the beginning of the discussion warrant me in stating that there is imperative need for an inquiry into the whole prison system and administration of justice. Incidentally I remark that the proposed appointment of committees consisting of representatives of the churches and others to deal with probationers is causing acute distress to the minds of many probationers, and ought not to be brought into operation without the fullest investigation. I say now that if Cabinet does not grant the request for a Royal Commission to go into the whole of the charges I have preferred, I will call an indignation meeting in the Town Hall, and will, if necessary, promote a petition to be signed throughout the Dominion for presentation to Parliament. The facts justify a commission.”