REFORMATION OF PRISONERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 132, 25 November 1911, Page 5

REFORMATION OF PRISONERS

THE KING COUNTRY FARM. By Telegraph—Press Association. Te Awamutu, Last Night. The foundation of the stone prison reformatory farm at Wadkiria, just within the King Country border, and about ten miles from here, was laid by the Minister of Justice (Sir J. G. Findlay) to-day. The farm consists 1 of about 1500 acres, being part of a block of wer 6000 axares recently acquired by the Government. The balance is to be devoted to a mental hospital. The reformatory is to be used principally for young male prisoners under 30 years of age, and the indeterminate sentence system will be adopted. For the present the institution will accommodate about-200 men, but buildings may be addied to as required, and- the maximum number of inmate® is expected to be 300 or 350. A small building sufficient to accommodate about 20 men has already been .erected, and they will be sent tlieire in a few days. The lnmd is in an unimproved state, and the aim of the scheme is, not only 1 to reform, but to make practical farmers of the men with a view of them taking up private employment as farm laborers after serving their tierm. Sir J. G. Findlay, in his speech, stated that whilst rigid discipline would be maintained, prisoners would be allowed every reasonable freedom within limitation of the farm. On the return of the party to Te Awamutu, a liincneon in honor of the oaeasion was given by the Justice Department.