A Prison Experience.

Manawatu Herald, 8 October 1892, Page 2

A Prison Experience.

Sir George B Dibbs, the Premier of New South Wales, in an interview with a representative of the London Daily OSfronicle, explained hour he came to haVe" Served 12 months in gaol, as follows :— •" I served my 12 months, and I should hrn& served 12 years if necessary," said Sfe George. " By unfair and illegitimate means I was cast in a civil libel suit for over£7ooo. As a protest, and on fhe advice of my lawyer, I declined to pay the money, and went to prison. My lawyer advised me that if I served the twelve montfas I would liquidate the claim for £7000 on me. Afterwards the judges by a majority held this to be bad law. So* although I did my imprisonment, I had to pay up when I came out. I would have appealed to the Privy Council only I war ptnmped. But upon the whole I had a very good tittle 1 itf prison. Being locked up on a civil action, I had my sitting room, my dining room, my books, my turning lathe, and all the rest of it, With my turning lathe I made articles which were sold to defray the debts of other prisoners ; I wrote newspaper articles, and I accomplished an amount of reading for which I have always been thankful. Moreover, I held levees, had all the principal people to see me, and, in a word, spent a very good year. My hardship came when I had to pay up the £7000, only there I was no getting out of it"