THE CENTRAL GAOL AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 127, 28 June 1876, Page 2

THE CENTRAL GAOL AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

Tins structure will soon be commenced, tenders having already been called for for its erection. It is intended tor the safe keeping of all the long sentenced and most unruly convict s, who will beemjdoyed cm public works in the district, more especially the formation of the projected breakwater. The following description of it is taken from the Olatjo Guardian : “The building, when completed, will consist of a ten-sided structure, from which will branch three wings ; but one of these, which will contain 120 cells, it is not intended to erect at present. One wing included in the contract will have throe floors, on each of which will bo two rows of cells, one on cither side of a hall round which galleries run, each row having--17 colls. This will give T2O cells in all, each measuring 9ft. by 6ft. This wing is to be diagonally boarded inside with Sin. by IJin. pine, and outside with Sin. by lin. red pine, all rough from the mill. The outer walls and roofs throughout to be finished with Gospel Oak 24 gauge corrugated galvanised iron. All division walls of the cells and those next corridors or galleries are to be of 18-gauge corrugated iron, which will be supplied by the Government, rivetted at the outer edge to 1-J inch angle iron, and the sheets are to be rivetted to one another ; angle iron and rivets to bo supplied by tbo_ contractor. Throughout the building the timber to be used is rimu, unless otherwise stated, and in all cases it is to be three-quarters heart. Beams, joists, or other timbers required to be bedded in or built into concrete walls, are to have the ends so built in completely sheathed with Muntz metal, so that moisture absorbed by the concrete cannot injure the wood. The wing which goes out at the back of the centre building will contain a chapel, chaplain’s residence, offices, kitchens, warders’ rooms, dispensary, &c., and reception cells. On the ground floor, at the rear, are twelve reception cells, with a fumigating room, and in this part of the establishment probably both prisoners and their clothing will go through a cleansing process. There arc also some offices, two clothing rooms, and a steam drying room. Between this and the centre are'the scullery, kitchen, pantry bakery, and officers’ mess-room, an office for the Governor, and one for the magistrate. The chapel, which is large, is over these. It promises to be well fitted, and provision lias been made for an organ-loft. At the rear is the chaplain’s residence, which runs to the second floor ; the chapel being equal in height to two stoiys. The exterior of the building is plain, and no attempt has been made at ornamentation. When completed it will form the Trent of the present centre tower, with a wing on each side ; and from the rear, the centre wing, containing the chapel, &c., with the chaplain’s house, will be the most conspicuous. Tenders are to be sent in by the 12th of next month, and the contract time expires on the 31st July, 1877.”

PRESIDENT GRANT’S BROTHER CONFESSING HIS FRAUDS. The brother of the President, Mr Orville M. Grant, was examined on Thursday before two committees of the House of Representatives—the Committees on Expenditure in the war and ..Navy Department. He made a pitiful spectacle of himself before both committees. He testified unwillingly and with prevarication but the truth was dragged but of his reluctant lips at last. And the truth was.that the President, his brother, had enabled him to plunder the Treasury and swindle the Indians. This is the plain English of the matter. Mr Grant, when before the Navy Committee, admitted that lie was the paid servant of Messrs Basshor and Co., engineers and contractors in Baltimore. His pay was not large—only 200d01., or £4O, a month. But what did he do for the firm ? Well, he got contracts for them from the Government. His brother, the President, kept him informed of what was going on, and perhaps “ a little influence” had been occasionally used. On being further pressed he admitted that his salary of £4O a month did not represent his whole income from this source. He had obtained for Basshor and Co., for example, a contract for supplying oak ship-knees for the Navy Department,'' . and ho received one-half the profits resulting from this job, Further inquiries elicited the tact that by this contract “ knees” which were worth Bdol. in the market were sold to the Government at Cdol. 30c., and other “ knees” worth and purchased at 6dol. wore sold to the Government at 27d01. 80c. This was a profitable business, but Mr Grant had other strings to the bow. When taken before the committee of the War Department he was asked whether ho had ever obtained post-traderships for himself or his friends, and he flatly denied that he had. But on being pressed, and certain names mentioned to him his memory was refreshed, and he called to mind the fact that he had soma transactions of this kind. How did he get the post-tradorship. ? Well the fact was that his brother, the President, had informed him in 1874, in reply to a question from himself that these posts might'bo made vacant, and that ho could get them for himself if ho. applied for them. Ho did apply, and he got them. Being closely questioned as to*,, the moans by which he had obtained"-so many appointments and contracts, he replied that he “ had influence with the President to manage such matters to some extent,” and lie “ had always felt grateful to his brother, the President, for his influence.” Ho confessed that besides these appointments for himself he had obtained some for other people, and had been paid for doing so ; but be did not think that the President was aware of that fact. It is certainly hoped that ho was not.—Home paper.