THE BAUME CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12604, 15 November 1926, Page 7

THE BAUME CASE

A PUBLIC INQUIRY MR W. G. RIDDELL TO CONDUCT IT PRODUCTION OF AFFIDAVITS The Government has agreed to set up immediately a Magisterial Commission to inquire into the allegations of the Rev. Howard Elliott that Sidney Erne Baume was accorded preferential treatment by the prison authorities, provided that Mr Elliott produces his affidavits and formula tee his charges. Following a meeting of the Cabinet the Minister for Justice (the Hon. F. J. Rolleston) made the following statement : “The object of the Legislature in setting up a Prisons Board to adjudicate on the release and reformation of prisoners was to remove such matters entirely from political or other influence, and to have an independent board which oould bring to bear skilled knowledge on the legal, criminal, medical, and human aspects of each case. The fact that the decisions of this hoard, which has functiond for over 15 years, and dealt with several thousands of cases, have never before been questioned should he accepted as sufficient guarantee of the nature of its work. The board is composed of citizens of the highest repute, and presided over by one of the senior judges of the Supreme Court, and the Government does not propose, because some people may .think that the hoard erred in the Baume case, to set up a commission to inquire into its actions. “There is not, however, the slightest objection to a public inquiry into the allegation of preferential treatment to Baume hv the prison authorities. If Mr Elliott will produce his affidavits and formulate his charges in regard to this preferential treatment a Magisterial Commission of inquiry will be set up at once.” BOUND TO ALLOW IT Commenting upon the Minister’s statement Mr Elliott said:— “The Government oould not well avoid a reply to the challenge to hold an inquiry, but it must not be a partial inquiry restricted to the treatment accorded Baume in prison. It must include inquiry into the events which led up to and the reason for the release of Baume. Further, the Government, in defence of its honour and the pledged word of the Prime Minister, was bound to allow an open inquiry into the appointment of the present Con-troller-General of Prisons. “If tlie Government is prepared to have a full public inquiry into all the allegations,” he said, “I am prepared, in the interests of . justice and the administration of justice, to formulate charges, but the hoard of inquiry must be composed of gentlemen independent of the Government and of the Public Service Commissioner.” MINISTER’S REPLY The Minister for Justice issued the following statement in reply to Air Howard Elliott’s comment:— “Mr Elliott has made specific charges against the administration of the Prisons Department, and in spite of the categorical denials of his statements he has persisted in these charges. "The Government does not intend to allow the matter of the alleged preferential treatment of Baume to rest, and therefore proposes to invoke the provisions of Section 17 of the Prisons Act, 1908, which gives full power for investigation of the conduct of prison officers and the treatment of prisoners. In accordance with the terms of this section, Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., in his capacity as a visiting justice to the Terraco Prison, will be asked to conduct the inquiry, and due notice of the time and place will he given to Mr Rlliott to nahle him to he present if ,he so wishes,”