PRISONERS ON ROADS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 January 1917, Page 2

PRISONERS ON ROADS.

IMPRACTICABLE PROPOSITION VERY COSTLY SYSTEM. The question of the employment of prison labor on the main arterial roads of the Dominion has been engaging the attention of different! local bodies throughout the country, as the result of a circular issued by the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce on the matter.

The subject was mentioned by a representative of the Waikato Times to tlse Hon. Dr. MeNab (Minister in Charge of Prisons), who said the proposal apparently originated under ti misapprehension, because the great bulk of the prisoners were at the .present time doing work at Rotorua, and, therefore, if the Rotorua. Chamber of Commerce scheme were carried out, they would have to be taken away from the thermal district, and put to work all over New Zealand. He did not think the Kotonui people appreciated what the change, meant. In any case, said Dr. McXab, the scheme was impracticable. There was only a very small number of hard labor prisoners, and when something like CO men who were engaged in three planting were taken a\yav, together with men at special trades snoh as , tailoring and boot .'.miking in the larger prisons, as well as the prisoners engaged on the Waimarino-Tokaami road, there were scarcely enough men left to form a decent number of gangs for road work.

The Minister added that the present scheme of prison reform was in direction of separating the various classes of men for special ldnds of work. On these lines they had men engaged jn Invercargili, and they had the largest city prison in Auckland. Then there ivere the farm prisons of Waikeria in the North Island and of Templeton in the South. This scheme ■would practically have to be upset if anything like extensive road construction was undertaken. Dr. MeNab mentioned that there appeared to be an idea that roads made by prisoners cost nothing. It remained yet to be proved, however, whether they did not cost move than Uy free labor. The Government would have pome information on this point when the Tokaanu road was. finished. The supervision of prison liibor was costly, the maintenance of prisoners was mounting up by leaps and hounds, while tht: work done was nothing like that done by free labor. It was possible, therefore, tlrnt unless the colonies were sufficiently large and the work of such a class that it could be readily supervised, it would cost the country move than by letting it bv contract amongst'free men, Tim representative mentioned the suggestion for the utilisation of interned alien, labor.

Dr. MeXab thought this much more feasible and practicable than the oilier scheme. At present, he said, the aliens \ura simply kicking their heels at tlie expense of' tlity Ccfvcruiuont. Bather than remain interned t'noy wpuld, lie thought, be plexsed to accept labor, to set the companionship, of oibors, and also for the remuneration. This would be practically voluntary labor and a modification of the contract system, which he had 110 doubt, would work admirably. «At first, he said, there was a very strong feeling against giving these aliens other people's jobs but now it was being recognised that the other people were not here. The question, ho added, was receiving the attention the Government.