THE DUNEDIN-GOAL INQUIRY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 10229, 23 June 1883, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN-GOAL INQUIRY.

,'■ ... ♦ — - . -- : CHARGES OF CRUELTY. (per united press association.) ! Dunedin, June 22. . ••"The ; ,gaol. inquiry ?was continued today,' when Chaplain Torrens made grave charges implicating Mr Caldwell. He said i that one night Warder Clarko came lb him. saying that he did' not know whether he was doing right, but he felt ill at' ease, because ' the prisoner Cummock (of Athpneum fire notoriety) was being illtreated, and some action should be taken. He promised the warder that he would call and see for himself. Williams saw Cummock, who was in one of the darkest cells. He (Cummock) said that for three nights he had been made to lie in an open corridor, with asphalte flooring, and had to sleep on the bare asphalte. Oummock suffered from rheumatism. Considering what Cummock Baid, witness concluded they w'pre' trying to drag from him what he liad told the Inspector of Prisons, and thit ' an attempt was being made to seriously injure him. Witness did not state these things to tbe visiting Just'oes, because ke had no confidence in them, and as thiB kind of persecution apparently had been put a stop to. He did uot complain to. Mr Caldwell. His reason for saying that he had no confieuce. in the Justices was that Mr Caldwell seemed to have s ipreme power. B oa;UBe witness paid special attention ti some' of the prisoners, Caldwell seemed manifestly down on them. On that account they were worried and annoyed, but he could not tell tor what reason. This caused him to refrain from rendering speoial sorvioes. For two years and nine months prior to the change in the management his relation's to the gaoler -were not of a most friendlycharacter. He had noticed a marked difference regarding additional terms of imprisonment since the ohange of governors. Prior to. that he noticed every Saturday, for years, a whole string of. men, eight, ten, or twelve, perhaps more, and the Court sitting for hours. Since the change this had gone, and the Court never once sat. He had got the minds of the prisoners on these matters. They invariably expressed themselves satisfied with the present management. The witness stated that he had takon advice from sevei-al well known . citizens and friends in good_ position; as to what course he should take. Their- replies were to this effeot : " Here is Caldwell, a valuable Government servant, who you say is doing these things. Can you prove he does ? If you cannot you will only make matters worse. You will go to the wall, and get credit for boing an offioious gaol chaplain of the humanitarian kind." A feeling of utter helplessness and impotoncy prevented him from taking action. Before entering on bis duties he had been told that Mr Caldwell was "the Lord God of the gaol," and he had found this to be the fact. His power was immense. The Commissioners visit the hulk at Port Chalmers, and sit again ou Monday, when Mr Stout appeal's for Mr Caldwell.