BORSTAL POLICY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 344, 3 May 1928, Page 1

BORSTAL POLICY

MR. DALLARD PROMISES INQUIRY DENIES ALLEGATIONS Press Association. WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Questioned respecting the alleged ill-treatment of an escaped Borstal inmate by warders when captured at Invercargill recently, Mr. B. L. Dallard, Controller - General of Prisons, said a departmental inquiry would be held by Mr. C. Cruickshanks, S.M., at Invercargill.

Mr. Dallard remarked that he did not care to prejudice

the case, but the reports received indicated that the affair had been grossly exaggerated. In order to reassure relatives of inmates, who would naturally be concerned at the published reports, Mr.

Dallard said he I could state, without fear of contra-

out tear oi contradiction by anyone competent to express an opinion, that the Borstal institution at Invercargill had been run during the past few years on most enlightened and humane lines, to develop in the inmates a sense of selfrespect and responsibility. He mentioned that before these recent escapes there had not been a single escape for over 12 months. When the wide extent to which the inmates were on trust was considered this spote volumes. “The superintendent of the institution at Invercargill is a man who has the complete respect and confidence of the‘inmates, and he has the interests of the lads thoroughly at heart,” Mr. Dallard added. “I can say definitely that such treatment as that alleged is entirely foreign to the present policy of the administration.”