BORSTAL SYSTEM

Hokitika Guardian, 29 January 1931, Page 2

BORSTAL SYSTEM

SUCCESS IN NEW ZEALAND

BRAISE BY ENGLISH OFFICIAL

MAIN VIRTUES PRESERVED

AUCKLAND, January 26

Surprise that the virtues of the English Borstal system should have been so effectually reproduced in New Zealand when none of the prison authorities in the Dominion had had actual experience of it, was expressed thi morning by Mr J. L. Weldon, housemaster in the English Borstal Service. This morning Air Weldon visited the Mount Eden prison in company with Mr B. L. Dullard, ControllerGeneral of Prisons. He has been in New Zealand for three weeks, during which time he has visited practically every prison and Borstal inslitutio.i in the country, lie has already made investigations into prison ail airs m Australia, and in continuation of his comprehensive tour he will have for the United States on Tuesday nexe to make further studies in America. Air Weldon is a graduate of Trinity College, Uxford, and, prior to entering the .borstal service, was aUaciied io the Eeltham prison.

PKINCiPbES OF BORSTAL TRAINING.

“j came to Now Zealand to see as much as possible in the short time at my disposal of your Borstal and prison systems,' as wo hear so much ado-it them in "England,” said Air Weldon. “As the Borstal system has only been in existence for some six years in New Zealand, the progress that has been made is really amazing. In the Old Coilnlr,v there are live guiding principles in the system. 1 bey arc, that a lad should be kept cheerful, obedient, polite, hard-working and truthful, for those are the main characteristics and virtues that an employer expects in his workman. What r have seen in New Zealand leads me to the conviction that the same five characteristics arc being inculcated into the Borstal lads here, so that they will develop into worlbv citizens. Apart from the Borstal institutions, I have visited prison camps in various parts of the Dominion, and I have been greatly impressed with the freedom that exists from the prison atmosphere, the cheerful demeanour of the men, and the efficiency of the staff.

“The prison camp system, ’ added Air Weldon, “would not be practicable to any large extent in the Old Country, as comparatively few of the prisoners come from agricultural areas. However, it is difficult to think ol rnv better scheme than the one employed here to influence the men for their permanent good. I believe that doubts have been expressed hi various quarters as to the general methods used in New Zealand prisons, more particularly in the Borstal institutions, in comparison with those used in England, but everything I have seen shows that they are well ur> to the standard set in the Old Country.

INSTITUTIONS WELL EQUIPPED

“Naturally at the moment there is not nuicn money available lor extensive experiments either here or anywhere else, but u is quite evident that tne Borstals in New Zealand are well equipped for preparing lads to follow successful careers in the future. The general prison facilities are excellent, ami the buildings are modern and up-lo-date.”

Mr Weldon explained that it was not often that he courted interviews, bat he felt justified- in making some comment now because he felt that New Zealand was deserving of some praise for the manner in which it had reproduced the virtues of the English Borstal system. The development of the scheme was all the more remarkable when he knew that no New Zealand prison official had an opportunity of studying the English system on the spot. Mr Weldon refrained from comparing the prison systems of Australia and New Zealand, but he pointed out that the Borstal institutions across the Tasman differed somewhat from those in England. In the latter country, he said, the institutions were industrial and trades were taught. There were small farms attached to them, but these were solely for the purpose of providing dairy produce to make the institutions self-supporting.

SUITABILITY OF OFFICIALS. Questioned as to the suggestion by the Howard League that the Borstal officials in the Dominion were not mentally fitted to properly instruct youths placed in their care, Mr "Weldon said that he thought the officials most certainly fulfilled all requirements. Wliat was required for Borstal instruction was contmonsense, kindness and tact. Obviously if the officials were not brutal and took a personal interest in each charge, reformation was more likely to las produced. The essence of all Borstal work was individual training, and the officials in New Zealand appeared to be well equipped to give that. Gratification was expressed by Mr Dal bird at hearing from Mr Weldon that New Zealand was not lagging behind the English Borstal system. Naturally the scheme had had to ho modified, lie said. Training in England was industrial, whereas in the Dominion, where primary production was essential, farming was concentrated on. In putting the system to effect endeavours had been made to carry out the idea underlying the scheme initial- < ed l>v Sir Evelyn Paiggles-Bri.se. A

pleasant, round of activity was striven for, including education, work and recreation, and by the influences of the staff, endeavours were made to stimulate the emotion of an ideal in prisoners so as to cive them fuller appreciation of their responsibility as citizens. These were the fundamental principles of Borstal training, and naturally the methods must he suited to the temperament and characteristics of the individual in the particular country where it is carried out.