PRISON STORIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1920, Page 12

PRISON STORIES.

HOW MEN MAKE GOOD. I FROM THE GAOL TO THE UNIVERSITY. Some interesting stories of how discharged prisoners "make good" and the valuable services rendered in this connection by the Wellington i). charged Prisoners' Aid Society are related by Mr. E- Arnold, visiting Justice to His Majesty's Prisons for many years:— SAILORS AND FIREMEN. If the Teader once passed through a prison and could see the inmates iu the separate yards he would notice that there are yards for men of different lengths of sentences—for those in for a few days, others in for many and some for lifej

eome going in, others leaving; some hear the great bolts fly for incarceration, others see the door swing open, and they step out into liberty again, some without relations of friends. This being a shipping port, there are sailors and firemen—hrave men* <'thdy go down to, the sea in ships and do business in great waters"; they toil in the | stokehold when the sea is raging and i passengers have to hold on in their beds. When these sons of the sea get into harbor, are they not likely to seek some excitement, and sometimes forget themselves and are 6ent to prison? When v icy come out—their ships gone, no home, and no money. So this society gives them a helping hand—sometimees pay their train fares up the country, for sailors and firemen will work at any kind of work; they are not idle men. AFTER TEN TEARS GAOL. Here is one I will mention. He had just finished a ten years' sentence. I saw him in the prison a few weeks before his time was up. He was much troubled, for he felt he would not be able to take care of himself. But I gave him a job so that he should* have work to go to. I met him at the prison door when he came out_ He said, "Am I really friee?" "Ye»." I said. "And have I got to keep myself—buy my own clothes?" "Yes. : ' "Well, it seems strange; then the gaoler has nothing more to do with me?" "No; you are now a free man." He stood and looked around. "Well," he said, "may I see you often?" "Oh, yes, John." I introduced him that day to his new employer. Then he said: "I left the Old Land when I came to New Zealand. My mother and father were then alive, but old. I wonder if they are dead. I never wrote to them while - in prieon; I did not want them to know where I was. The gaoler gave me tive pounds when I came out this morning. I would like to them half of it." I said, "You want clothes; keep it" "No," he said, "my mother and father are old and poor, and they shall have half." And I put him in the way of sending it. He went to his work, and in time got marriedi, and went into business. PRISON-OR SHIP'S BRIDGE. : Here are two young fellows, not out of their 'teens. They broke into an office in Wellington; they were, caught '*• *»4 SSHUBiitej for .trial. I saw Aham u

prison awaiting trial. They were both runaway yoim,g sailors. They asked me to help them; they said they would like to get away to sea. When the trial came on I spoke for thorn. I told Sir Robert Stout I had a ship for them. He <;aid if they went at once he would let them go. One refused to go because he would only get one shilling per month. It was a full-rigged ship going to London. One of the young follows went, and the one that declined to go was sent to prison, and since then has done many years in New Zealand prisons. The one that did go rose to be mi officer on # steamship; and here is the difference in two young fellows, both having had the same opportunity in life. It was about fourteen years ago tliat another-young man in the prison asked for lielp. He said he had no money and no relations in New Zealand. I told him to call" on me when he came wit. Thfc he did, and in time lie was sent away. Five years after he called and gav e five pounds towards this society. He lias given one pound each year since. FROM GAOL TO UNIVERSITY. Another young man stole some plated rare from a warehouse where he was engaged. He was put on probation for 4 years He went up country and lived in a whare. He was well educated, and his whare became his library. In time he left New Zealand, went to a university, passed all his examinations, i-ri became a teacher in the i same university. Here is a young man who has done time in our prison. He called on me. I gave, him a helping hand when he came out. He got work, was very steadv, +nnk great care of his money. He married a woman of good business ability. She went to work in a shop, and in two or three years they had quite a nice bit of money saved up; so they opened a small store out of town. The husband tv».<! a shepherd, and his wife .ran the store. The husband did not. like David of old. become a kins', but this day he has a small sheep farm and is in every way successful.