JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1916, Page 4

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

INCREASE -OF EXPENDITURE. SCHEMES OP IMPROVEMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Feb. 7. The expenditure of the Justice Department for the expired 'ten months of the current financial year has shown a slight increase, although the officers of ':he Department have been exercising economy in many directions. The apparent ini'iv.ily iiue to ih.? important schemes of improvement and reorganisation that are in progress in eonnecti.m with the prisons of the Dominions, and to-day the Minister in charge, in ansxvjr •to a question on the subject. •>•.»%•<> your correspondent some information regarding the works in progress. The Minister stated that the plans adopted prior to tthe outbreak of hostilities for the improvement of the prison system had not been abandoned in consequence of the financial stringency produced by the war. A certain amount of delay had been caused and it might be necessary, if the war continued,"to actually stop some of the works at present in hand. But the Justice Department, recognising the importance of the application of the most modern methods to the prison system, had proceeded as j far as possible with its scheme, which necessarily involved additional expenditure.

The first wing of the new prison at Waikerea, said the Minister, had been completed and was in occupation. Good progress was being made with the preparation of the prison farm, which wan to be a very important feature, of the institution. The work at the Templeton ■prison had not made very much progress, the foundations only being in hand. Prisoners were supplying the labor in boHh caseß, but materials had to he •bought and had involved heavy expenditure.

"I do JiQfc tliink t.liftt any of the modern reformative prison work can lie conducted as cheaply as the old methods could be," added Dr. McNab. "Additional ■classification means extra expense and the modem buildings, with their improved atmosphere and extra facilities for the improvement of the prisoners, mean increased staff. The proportion of warders to prisoners at a modern prison is very much larger than in !ihe older institutions. The war lias not decreased the prison population. On the contrary there, has been slight increase. There, has been an increase in the non-clerical staff. The closing of the Dvinediu prison produced a saving, but on the other hand we have opened a women's prison alt Addington." The Minister mentioned that the .Tustice Department Imd been required to ifaco increased expenditure in branelics apart from the prisons. There were many growing districts in the North Island where ttlie. courthouses, previously under the control of the local constables, were demanding now the services of special officers. The spread of settlement made it impossible for the Department to disregard many of these claims. Forty officers of the .Tustico Department have enlisted in the Expeditionary Forces, said Dr. McNab, and their departure had produced difficulties in several branches, which were now shortstaffed. ...