The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1911. PRISON OFFICIALS' REMISSNESS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 August 1911, Page 2

The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1911. PRISON OFFICIALS' REMISSNESS.

■ Tim second escape of the convict j Powelka. recorded from "Wellington j tins week, must have given rise to grave apprehension in many minds along .this coast. That a ,semimadman of such dangerous characteristics a,s this man posses slrould have been allowed twice to escape from captivity, is strong presumpj t-ive evidence of a looseness —not to I say carelessness—in the Prisons | guard at Wellington. First we had ! the criminally careless temporary ! guardian 'of the Wellington lockup who last, year allowed Towelka to escape, and subsecpiontly ennse (directly or indirectly) arson, robbery. ! bodily violence, and manslaughter. ! Such a series of calamitous happeni ings surely should have inspired a .constant watchfulness on the part of those who wore charged with the onerous duty of safeguarding the community from d.anger arising out I of tin's man's mischievous bent; but ; we find instead what seems to 'he a deplorable neglect of proper precautious. A searching inquiry into the matter is essential. That Powelka, was recaptured before lie could worlc further mischief is reason for heartfelt thankfulness; j but without wishing to ho thought. Draconic we must suggest that it affords no good reason for mitigating the degradation of the offending Terrace Prison official. To admit- that contention would entail tho further admission that the earlier official offender should 'have I teen punished both for his remissness as a guardian and for his infei'ential responsibility, for the sequence of crimes which' followed 'Powelka's prngro-s along this coast. Tn each case, wo contend, the offence was equal, serious, heinous; and tli!> true interests of the community require that for proper discipline of the Prisons Department there shall he no substitution of .pusillanimous pit.v for evendiaud'-d justice.