PAY FOR PRISONERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1920, Page 5

PAY FOR PRISONERS.

MONRY FOR THE DEPENDENTS. R ICWAED FOR GOOD CONDUCT. (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) "*■>. Wellington, Last Night. Extensions of the wages system for prisoners, whether undergoing reformative, treatment, sentences of hard labor, or declared habitual criminals, have been decided upon by the Prisons Department The Minister iu charge of the Department (the Hom__J. G. Coates), stated to-day that in the Prisons Keport and in the Budget it was indicated that it was proposed to provide for payments tor prisoners, and that portions of those payments would be available for the dependents. The regulations at present in force merely provide that the habitual u'iminal and the man undergoing reformative treatment shall receive payment under the wages system. Tlie inun sentenced to a term of hard labor receives no more than a gratuity upon discharge. All prisoners are now to lie placed upon the .same footing. They will reecivo Gs per day as a basis anil after that, by a system of marks according to conduct, they will he able to earn a further shilling a day and atill another Is up to a maximum' of Ss a day. It is intended that one-half of these earnings shall be paid over to the dependents, and one half retained for maintenance ad supervision. It follows that if a man worka well it will be possible for his dependents to receivo approximately 28s a week.

The new system comes into operation from January 1 next. When It is shown that the prisoner hj»» depttdenta