LYTTELTON GAOL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 14, 11 July 1911, Page 5

LYTTELTON GAOL.

COMRADE COOK'S ALLEGATIONS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Some new light was to-day thrown on the allegations made 'by Comrade Cook regarding the Lyttelton Gaol, by Mr. W. W. Collins, who for fifteen years' has been visiting Justice at Lyttelton. Mr. Collins has made a study of prison reform, and is strongly of opinion that the whole system should be directed towards the reformation of prisoners. He does not defend, and indeed is against the present system. He said, however, there were statements made by Comrade Cooke which were absolutely incorrect, It was untrue that the barbarous punishment of solitary confinement in a dark cell was one of the punishments meted out at Lyttelton Gaol. There was no such thing as a dark cell, and no such punishment as solitary confinement. A man might be confined to his cell for a gross breach of prison discipline. Ho would be deprived of his night-light and also of his tobacco. The confinement, however, could not be described as "solitary." The man had to be allowed out in the exercise yard every day. Punishment as he had said was not inflicted unless for an exceedingly serious breach of discipline. it was absolutely incorrect to say that visiting junstices based their punishment on the recommendation of the gaoler. A man charged witn an offence had a trial, as he would before a court, and he was entitled to call witnesses. It sometimes happened that the gaoler would ask that leniency be observed towards the man who had committed the offence, on the ground that his previous conduct had been good. | Comrade Cook's detailed description of a man suffering from pleurisy bein" next touched on. Mr. Collins said that the cell was not dark or solitary, ana was not even in the punishment yard. The man was put into the cell at his own particular request, as he wished to be m a place where he would get quietness and be able to sleep better than he would i„ his own cell. Mr. Colins sym-1 pathiscd with Comrade Cooke's condemnation of the lack of classification. He considered it absolutely wrong that first offenders should have to associate with hardened criminals. It was wrong that Comrade Cooke, whose offence was not a crime, should have to associate with criminals. Classification, however would not be possible until the Government dealt more generously with the Prison Department. In some general observations Mr. Collins said that it was incorrect to say that 20 per cent, of tho prisoners were suffering from bronchial troubles The men were well fed with meat and vegetables. The food the men got in gaol was better than many ot them got when they were out. He had never once during his fifteen years' experience heard a complaint as to insufficiency of blankets. He agreed that there was much to do in the reform of the prison system. Lights an the cells went out at 8 p.m. and made the nights very long.. Something should be. devised to enable the prisoners to spend their spare time in self-improvement. Their nights might be brightened up bv self-instruc-tion.