PRISONS BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 99, 12 September 1912, Page 6

PRISONS BOARD

A WOED IN DEFENCE. Auckland, September 10. A Star representative looked up Mr. F. G. Ewington, the Auckland member of the Prison Board, in connection with remarks reported to have been made by Mr. Bishop, Stipendiary Magistrate, of Christchurch, concerning the Prisons Board.

Mr. Ewing said he thought that the best refutation of any attempts to belittle the board in 'public estimation were solid facts which could not be gainsaid. The Minister in charge of the Justice Department in Parliament had commended the Prison Board for the good work which it had done, and the Board's report to Parliament (signed by Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice) showed that, of the number of prisoners released on probation and otherwise on the Board's recommendation, the results were very satisfactory.'. "Sir Robert Stout's legal knowledge and common sense are by no means second to Mr. Bishop's," said Mr. Ewington, "and the personnel of the Prisons Board, which was generally commended by the whole of the Dominion, is the warrant and guarantee for the due exercise of common sense. They are all men who know 'what's o'clock,' and want fair play. Mr. Bishop makes a great mistake if he thinks that the Prisons Board is composed of 'old fossils.' They are men of great worldly experience, and a good knowledge of human nature, and some of them have had for over thirty years special knowledge of reformatory treatment of prisoners." Mr. Ewington thought that perhaps a turn had been given to some expression of Mr. Bishop's, which 'his actual remarks may not lhave warranted, and he may not have intended; but expressions in the press, such as those alluded to, might possibly mar the influence of the Prisons Board, and prevent employers giving discharged prisoners work on its recommendation.