THE PRISON REPORT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 113, 20 August 1910, Page 2

THE PRISON REPORT

AN INTERESTING REVIEW. By Telegraph—Own Correspondent. Wellington, Linst Night. Mr. Waldegrave's phrases on the reform question and so forth read very tamely after the glowing period of his chief. iHe expressed his uuep sense of ilie loyal assistance lie had received from the gaolers and officers since he took charge of the administration of the prisons, and his appreciation of the decire they have j shown to improve t'he existing prison I system. He especially thanks Mr. Kavll, j visiting adviser to the prisons, whose i ever ready assistance has been most va- ' luable in dealing with the many complex ! questions that arise in connection with prison, administration. The most satisfactory feature in the report is the announcement that there was a slight increase in the number of prisoners received during the year, but no more than ■ might be expected from the natural in- ' crease of population. The number of prisoners received who had been previj ously convicted shows that it is necessary to pay more attention to the rei formative system. In referring to the gaol, he strikes a rather weird note, •which the unions will find contentious, for he expresses the opinion that before long we shall have to consider the question of utilising prison labor at Lytteltun, where clothes and boots for the various prisons are turned out, in a more useful and lucrative manner, regard always being 'had to the necessity of avoiding competition witih free labor. Invercargill, he adds, promises to be one of our most useful gaols, and is well adapted for classification purposes. A number of boys have been sent to invercargill, and arrangements have been made for advancing their education. Of the 'Napier gaol, -he says it is the worst in New Zealand, and what else lie says does not, in view of the Attorney-Gen-eral's announcement of its abolition, matter much. In re the tree planting, the Under-Secretary comes as near to enthusiasm as is in his power. He says the system of utilising prison labor for tree planting lias now passed beyond the experimental stage, and must be admitted to be a humane and rational method of giving prisoners a chance to alter their mode of life. The work, the report adds, has both a moral and an economic value. Many of our tree-planters do nol come back again, while the result of .tlieir work is seen in the gradual change that is coming over the face of the country in which their operations are carried on. At the three camps over three and a-half million trees were planted/during last year, in addition to (the general work of preparing the ground*,! fligging pits and additions and alterations,!' "If," the report continues, "we suffi- , cient number of suitable me,ri/ thfe'planting operations could' be cohfcklerillSly extended. Probably the. diffictdtyi! Will be overcome later on by the erection of a ' different class of camp, discipline and supervision will be morle rigid than prevails/ in the present efitfeblishments." >Tn the matter of inebriates, he brings us up-to-date experience,,-- 'jWhen the Habitual Drunkards Act WiSSa passed, he adds, it was not contemplated that a large number of the persons, &ui)ject to its provisions would foe cured of ; the drinking habit. It was 'admitted that the plan of sending these unfortunate people to gaol for short periods;was a failure. They simply came oiut and became derelicts again. It was thought that by sweeping these derelicts off the streets and placing them in'healthy surroundings for ait least a year they would have a chance of reforming themselves. "I believe," he further adds,. "ttott the experiment, so far as it 'has gone, has been fairly disappointed. Dr. Hay, the Inspector of - Prisons, (in the .shadow of the speech on the indeterminate in his report recommends a rpore Varied diet for the prisoners. Then, he continues, after having 'had interviews with a large number of criminals and exchanging views with responsible officers in the, service, one is impelled to a conclusion which supports the experience of those i penologists who advocate the principlej of indeterminate sentence, to obtain the best, or even tolerably good results, the prisoner must serve his sentence with •the full consciousness that its duration depends on his own efforts. Be it remembered that this requires a great deal of the prisoner; an fact, the very most of which he is capable. But it has the double advantage of shortening tlje ' period of imprisonment and qualifying ' him both by 'habit and ability to earn 'liis livelihood under easi : .: rcuinsiCances j when he is released. -he aommenceI inent of last year there were .823 .males and 50 females in the gaols, and at the close of the year there were 882 males and 08 females. During the year ,6020 ■males and 010 females passed through the prisons, as against 5837 males and 554 females in the previous year. These numbers represent only 5588 separate prisoners. Of these 451 males and 61 females were received twice, 112 males and 1;7 females three times, 35 males and 11 females four time, 7 males and 7 females five times, 4 males and 4 females six time®, three males and two fefnales seven times, and two males eight times. Of t'he total number, 230 males and 22 I females could neither read nor write,.