DISCHARGED PRISONERS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12609, 20 November 1926, Page 9

DISCHARGED PRISONERS

WELLINGTON SOCIETY’S WORK “BREAD CAST UPON THE WATERS” Day after day the public reads iu the newspapers stories from the city courts. It reads of men sentenced to varying periods of imprisonment. That is the last that the readers hear about—or bother to hear about these unfortunate people. However, ill Wellington, and ill the other three centres, there is a society called the “Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society,” which looks after the interests of many of these people when they are released from prison. FACING THE FUTURE. The society contributes in a very material Way to the well-being of persons who have suddenly to face an unsympathetic world. When a man leaves prison with health and strength on his side, he can face that world with comparative ease. But the man who is at a distinct loss is the weakly, non-manual worker. These, however, are comparatively few. Most men improve in health in prison. Long

sentence clerical men ’ have their share, too, of hard labour, but the short term prisoner is often sadly handicapped on his release with inability to apply himself to the hard conditions to which he is restricted. This applies more particularly to the man that is at alf elderly. In this connection the society will always be glad to hear of any odd jobs that may be offering. The chief difficulty in fact, in the society’s activities is in securing suitah'j work of any description. It was accentuated this year by the dearth of employment throughout the whole of the country. MAKING NEW MEN OF THEM. The society also stands to assist a man in the reformation that may hove begun in prison, and discharged prisoners and societies have often struck a note of encouragement that sends a man onward with n new heart. If these men can be led to feel that behind the effort, there is a genuine brotherliness that inspires as well as reproves, it is more than a tonic to them. Sympathy and molly-moddling, on the other hand, do real harm. A man must be led to feel that he is not so much a subject for commiseration ns one who is both worthy and capable of better efforts in life, and that he has a place to fill in God’s world that can only be filled by himself. A good deal of help given is like bread east upon the waters, and in fulfilment of the proverb—some of it does return. The men are encouraged to refund any monetary assistance given. In this Way over £9 was returned by 12 men. In two or three cases, too, money has been refunded by men who have repeatedly been in qrison.