TWO HOURS IN GAOL

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 70, 14 January 1882, Page 280

TWO HOURS IN GAOL

A VISIT TO MOUNT EDEN,

A prison is a house of care — A place where none can thrive— A touchstone true to try a friend — A grave for one alive j Sometimes a place of right, «" Sometimes a place of wrong, Sometimes a place for rogues and thieves And honest men among. When the genius "\vlio guides the literary destinies of this widely-circulated and influential journal — as the writers of grievance letters put it — suggested one day that I should get up a series of articles, somewhat of the "Vagabond" type, on the public institutions of Auckland, it was decided, after some deliberation, that the Mount Eden Gaol should have the honour of receiving my first attentions. With this object in view, I proceeded to Mr P. M. P. Brookfield, R.M., who, in compliance with my request, furnished me with a memorandum addressed to Mr O'Brien, the gaoler at Mount Eden, instructing him to admit me to that establishment for Press purposes. Mr Brookfield was, however, careful to inform me that he entertained grave doubts as to the efficacy of the order, as he was under the impression that some innovations had been introduced in the process of issuing authorities admitting visitors to the gaol. His anticipations were verified by the results. On presenting the order to Mr O'Brien, he politely informed me that he could not officially recognise it ; that nothing short of a written authority either from the Hon. the Minister of Justice or Captain Hume, the Inspector of Prisons, would secure me even the most temporary sojourn within the walls of Her Majesty's G-aol. Concealing my disappointment as best I could, I thanked Mr O'Brien for the information, remarking, however, that if I chose to avail myself of the ordinary means of securing a sojourn of more or less length in durance vile, this being a free country, there was no . law to prevent a magistrate or a brace of Justices of the Peace from gratifying my wishes. Mr O'Brien, however, thought the game was not worth the candle, and, having regard to my inexperience of practical geology, I don't think my incarceration would be a paying speculation for the public. However, on my way back to the Observer Office to report to the chief, I met one of Auckland's merchant princes in front of his own warehouse, informed him of my failure to secure admittance to the gaol, and ventured to suggest that the temporary difficulty might be overcome by taking up a stone and smashing somebody's window. "Good God!" he replied in tones of alarm, " don't smash mine, there's a good fellow." Out of respect for his feelings, I restrained the impulse, and hit upon a less exijensive, if more roundabout, plan of achieving the desired object, by writing an official letter to the Hon. the Minister of Justice. In due course I received an official letter, numbered 1038---81/938 in the margin, to the following effect : — Prisons Department, Wellington, N.Z., 14th December, 1881. Sir, — In reply to your letter of the 21et ultimo, to the address of the Hon. the Minister of Justice, I am ■directed to inform you that there is no objection to your visiting the gaol at Mount Eden for Press purposes, and to request you will be good enough to show this letter to the gaoler on your arrival at tb.e prison. — I have, &c, A. Hume, Captain, Inspector of Prisons. This was the "Open sesame" that caused the bolts and bars of the prison-house to fly open as if by magic. I found Mr O'Brien at his house. He received me with his accustomed politeness, and without hesitation offered to conduct me through the various departments of the prison.