NEW PRISON METHODS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 224, 12 January 1910, Page 5

NEW PRISON METHODS.

Penal Farm in Waikato

In accordance with its schema of prison reform, the site for a reformatory farm has been selected by the Justice Department at Tokaanui, on the North Island Main Trunk raiwlay line. The Inspector of Prisons (Dr Hay) and the Rev. Mr Kayll, will visit the place in the course of a few days, with a view to taking preliminary steps towards bringing the farm into actual operation. In conversation with, a Post representative, the Hon. Dr Findlay, Minister for Justice, said: "I hope to have the farm well under way in the course of the next month or two. A good deal of work can be done by the prisoners in preparing the ground and erecting the necessary buildings. The details of the reform scheme, including the regulations for the reformatory farm, have now been compiled and completed I have submitted them to the judges of the Supreme Court for their criticism as a portion oc the scheme and of the regulations refers to offices to be discharged by Their Honors. Upon receipt of the judges' views, I shall be in a position to submit the whole scheme to Cabinet for its approval. If approved, it will then be published." "The legislation of the past year," Dr. Findlay went on to say, "has been helpful, but in order to complete the main lines of the scheme further legislation will be necessary next session. The guiding motive has been to make applicable to the conditions of this country those portions of the reformed prison methods which have proved permanently successful in England, America, and New South Wales. Tn regard to the main lines of the new method, the New Zealand authorities are now quietly working. It will not be possible to put into operation the whole of the scheme at once, or within a short period, but as soon as it has the approval of Cabinet strenuous efforts will be made towards its complete application."