TREE PLANTING CAMPS.

Shannon News, 4 October 1927, Page 3

TREE PLANTING CAMPS.

BOW PRISONERS FARE, The prison department of Ncav South Wales is Avell satisfied Avith the result of its experiment in employing certain classes of prisoners at afforestation Avork. So much so that the system ia being extended. That statement Avas made a few daysago by the Comptroller of Prisons (Mr. G. Steele). The afforestation camp at Tuncurry on the North Coast lias been in existence since 1913. It has about 50 prisoners, all of them first offenders. Recently another site was' secured, this time at Mila, about 22 miles out from Bombala. “So far,’’ the comptroller explained,

“it is only our officials AA'ho have gone to Bombala, but AA'hen things are in readiness, Avhich should be in a feAV Aveeks’ time, avc intend to send prisoners there —not more, probably, than 25 at first. And Ave have a number o! other sites in vie Av. ”

There is another open-air prison, or place of detention, which is stated to have more than justified itself. This is the farm prison at Emu Plains, near Penrith, where are sent first offenders between the ages of 18 to 25. They are engaged in ploughing, sowing seeds, poultry raising, pig raising, and other occupations calculated to help the State, as well as benefit themselves. What specially pleases the comp-

troller is that the “honour system’’ in vogue at these open-air camps has not been violated. Only one man has run away from Tuncurry during the 14 years of its existence. But there arc no Avails or armed Avarders and no night Avateh is kept. Work With A Will. “The prisoners, work splendidly,’’ said Mr. Steele, “and free labour could not give better results.’’ They are encouraged to Avork by the privileges extended to them; they have their OAvn huts, time for reading and recreation, a debating class, and at week-ends can indulge in fishing and surf-bathing. ’ ’ There have been 574 men in all at Tuncqrry, and besides much other work they have planted over 2,000,000 pine trees and raised tens of thousands of other plants —in the aggregate a big State asset. It is the games they play that would astonish the old-time Avarders —if these grim men could rise in their shrouds. At. Huncurry and Emu Plains football and cricket arc regular features. A' reotfrit cricket match between the Emu Plains prisoners and an outside club dreAv a large local attendance. And no Emu Plains fieldsmen, scouting “in the country’’ showed any desire to make a bolt fdr liberty. Surf bathing —Avith liberty to Avalk over the adjoining sand hills and back —is a recognised break during the hot days at Tuncurry. ' In the large recreation rooms at Emu Plains and Tuncurry, Avhen the day’s work ,is over, they play-draughts, dominoes and chess, and concerts are regularly J held. It sounds like a prisoner’s paradise. . But, a fact emphasised as proof that the treatment is reformatory, of those discharged from these open-air prisons less than five per cent, come before the courts again. •*