THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3206, 7 October 1881, Page 3

THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.

The folio-wing is the evidence given by the Under-Secretary for Justice on the sth August last, when hefore the Civil Service Return Inquiry Committee, respecting the Piisons Department : — Br Hon. the Ohaibmaw :

The Prisons Department is not under your control ?—'Not now. How long has it ceased to be ? —When Captain Hume came. It ig now a separate department ? —Yes. When "was it made soP—I hardly remember the date. I think it was last November.

Immediately after the arrival of Captain Hume, the Prisons Department was mado a separate department ?—Yes, Up to that time, where were the records relating to prisons kept ? —With us. Were they kept up regularly ?—Yes. _ Would there be any difficulty in furnishing a record as to prisons, in obedience to the order of the Council ?—There would not have been, if the prisons had been still in our hands.

So far as you know, the alterations and changes in that department since it was under your control hare been of very little importance ? —Captain Hume has altered a good many offices, I think, and has ohanged the Estimates a good deal. I really do not know what he has done. But, in regard to the officers of the department, the alterations so far as you have been able to observe have not been of any great amount, so that there would be no physical difficulty in furnishing this return P —I really do not know what he has been doing. You handed ovor the records to him P—• Yes. By Captain Fbaseb: So the prisons are under Captain Hume's oontrol P—Yes. Under what authority ?—The Minister's. Was he gazetted P—Yes, I think so. As what ? —As Inspector of Prisons. Under authority of any Act, or by proolamation of the Governor P —No.

Therefore how can he have control over bhe gaols. Is he responsible for the gaols ? —Yes.

Under whose authority P—Under that of bhe late Minister of Justioe.

Has that authority been questioned?— Not as far as I am officially aware. But the Minister has no other authority than to make him a Visiting Justice ?—He is not a Visiting Justice, as far as I am aware. You are aware he has not been appointed ■under Act or proclamation by the Governor ? —He has not.

: In that case he has merely any power which the Minister can confer on him ? — Yes ; I suppoee so. He has no power to interfere with the Visiting Justice P—Well, I hardly like to answer that question. That is almost a legal question. But he is not within the Act ? —No 5 he has no legal status. < By the Ohaiuman :

You laid some stress on the word "^officially"—you were not officially aware. Have you two sources of information, an official one, and some othe* source ?—No. I said I was not officially aware of the authority having been questioned; but as a member of the community, I have heard of things going on in the House with reference to it, and of Captain Hume's position being questioned. By Captain Fraseb :

The G-overnor in Council has no power to appoint Captain Hume as Inspector of G-aols ? —No legal power to appoint biin. ' Exactly. He must be appointed by Act ? —[No answer.]