FIFTY YEARS IN PRISON.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10669, 26 June 1912, Page 4

FIFTY YEARS IN PRISON.

InT-his address /at the c.pr-ni-ng of :.-hc new Courthouse iat <Ma.sterton la-it week, the Minister of Justice, tbe Hon. J- A. Banan, stated thaw -nix: Haws -wcrei now being carried out on .mere humamitdriaii uues.. There is no

doubt mSaoa- offences are treated with moire leniency m New Zealand than in Croat Jfritaiinu The Home papers .Tiy lu©t imaiil report th© case/ of an (Id mnu, aged 68 y-cclne, who was convicteel and iscin.teaeed at the London Sss-■s-ions foi' stealing a coat, and as an, ■hatfoitual criminal. It appears 'that the o,kl man, (began 'his onnfeal career .in TIBSB, .and since then- fob had spout Siffcy .years in .prison, his sentences in■etudi'ivg three term® ri ten years' penal ] servitude 'and one of five years' penal | •servitude, for stealing forks, a box, | and lain, oveircoat .respectively, for any' . 'one cf which offefcices he would proj.bahly have, received ithree monlttos To- ' day. -The prisoner stated'that since 'lis :ii?ileaKO in, June last bis Hfe had : bean a bard straggle. Although he h.rd served fifty years in prison, he lid 'not eiuppase ibe -things he. StcCe .were Avcrth £2O ■'altogether. He 'bad never had a Chance', 'and ho had not a friend in the wand. He hoped if he wore arrested agaiiin lie wouild lie banged. The Judge who heard the case rciid ■that the prisoner's position and career \vere almost entirely due to the ibarfoarous system in vogue years ago o f punashing peopite wHih loii'brageous sen*tenoas far very small offemce's. Be ar .'first imposed a iseiniteiuce of three year?' i hnprisotaimeut, to ibe followed by five ■years' preventive' detention, but lu Eaifhsequently reduced the sontoree-e to one df twelve months' hard liaibour. Ibe prisoner, ealutfag itflie- Judge, excla.im;ed, in tones of gratitude, "I will endeavour to imatke it my veiry last, offence." When an old man, Who has almost toadied the allotted span of 'life,, expreissEis his'gratitude to the Judge for "lattimjg 'nam off" w.?fah only twelve months' 'hard liaSbciur for stealing a coat, lie annist have had some \lnarsb experiences during his lifetime. The Judge* anight we3i havei shown a Settle more to the aged- sinnelr, taking everything into conisideraltion.