CORRESPONDENCE.

West Coast Times, Issue 71, 16 November 1865, Page 1 (Supplement)

CORRESPONDENCE.

[The Editor docs not hold himself responsible for any opinions expressed by his correspondents.]

A VOICE FROM HER MAJESTY'S LOG HUTS.

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE •• WEST COAST TIMES."

Sib,— ls a prisoner entitled to bo treated as a human being? A startling question, you will doubtless think, but nevertheless under present circumstances a perfectly natural one, and one which it is time should be asked and answered by public opinion, seeing that tho authorities practically, in their treatment of the unfortunate men now incarcerated in the log huts yolcpt " H.M.s Gaol, Hokitika," refuse to recognise them as such. Tho dungeons of Naples have forjinany decries borne the unenviable reputation of being tho worst in the civilised world, but the prison in Hokitika can with good reason disputo the claim to a first place. Having had the misfortune to be, as a debtor, an inuiuto of that, to the Government and resident authorities, most disgraceful establishment, permit mo to givo you a description of tho same, as it in reality is, and tho oxact truth of which can, on any day, be ascertained. Thero are four huts. In one of them, ten feet by twelvo feet, sleep at night twelve or thirteen prisoners under sentence from tho Bench ; tbeso have the priviloge of receiving exerciso and airing during work hours, and fare, thoiefore, not so badly. Not so, however, with tho committed men and dobtors. In one cell, ten feet by twelve feet, aro at tho present time imprisoned not less than nine committed men, three convicted prisoners, and one debtor, in nil thirteen — felons, suspected, and innocent men, 1 indiscriminately intermixed I These men sleep on tho floor closely packed, with tho door at night locked and barred, and they have to depend upon the air {will it bo believed ?);receivcd from a holo in tho wall, tho size of which is ten inches by twclvo indhes I la another ceil, eight fecb by ten, not less than eleven individuals have for many a night been confined — convicted prisoners, committed men, debtors and drunkards 1 Tho air is received at night through a holo nigh the roof, tho sizo of which is six inches by sixteen inches. Would it be thought possible that, such being tho caso at night, the committed men and debtors are allowed only balf-an-hour's exercise (und that but lately) on tho very finest days. But perhaps I had better quote from a letter forwarded last Friday to G. G. Fitzgerald, Esq.,ResidentMagistrato, signed by nine committed men, in which they speak as follows :— •• We, tho undersigned; committed— not convicted—men, now lying in one of her Majesty's log huts, Hokitika, beg most respectfully to communicato to you tho following particulars, with which you doubtless are unacquainted ; at the samo time praying that you, tho highest authority in the place, will bo pleased to take our complaints into tho consideration they so urgently demand, and procuro such redress as you shall see fit to order.

" In a cell of ten feet by 12 feet nro confined not less than 12 men (wo niue commit' eel men, and threo under sontenco). At six o'clock in tho evening tho door is closely barred, and for tho next twelve or thirteen hours these twclvo men have to depend upon tho air received from a barred hole in tho wall, ten inches by twelvo inches. Tho result has been what might bo anticipated — daily and nightly complaints, fainting, pains in the chest, vomitings, and other sickness. That in this nineteenth century of ours n dozen individuals should be incarcerated in so limited n space os is allowed to us, would hardly bo credited wero it assorted in England, or even Australia. Nevertheless, so it is, and wo venture to prophesy, should no alteration tako place, thatsoino serious casualties will occur in caso two or three hot days and nights succeed each other.

11 During the day time we nro compelled—contrary to all precedents with roferenco to committed men — to remnin in the cell, being allowed on Borne (not all) fino days half an hour's exercise Considering that it gonernlly rains three dnyß out of tho six on the West Coast, this allows ub about 16 to 20 minutes airing on an avorago every twenty-four hours. IVhllo in tho

cell there is of course no walking room, and the constant sitting down in a very rccumbont position causes depression of the chest, and certainly fosters complaints of tho lnngs. It should be observed Unit during tho day time the door is left open ' on chain' threo or four inches.

"Tho close packing of so many men in so small a compass has, as a natural consequence, produced an abundant brood of the vilest vermin, which is so far advanced that it is almost impossible to outioot it, notwithstanding tho daily and hourly efforts on our part to attain that desirablcend. Blankets, clothes, flannels, drawers, amTsiiirts are infected, and contain thousands of unseen embryos of these biting enemies. " We would most respectfully beg that you would consider our miserable position, and cause it to be ameliorated. At tho samo time we would hnmbly beg to point out a few romodies, which, it seems to us, can be easily applied.

"First. — That a hole be cut either in the front wall or door, permitting a current of air ; or lhafc the door bo left open ' on chain' during night. " Second. — That we should bo allowed to bo in tho open air , under proper guard, at least two hours every tolerably fino day ; ono in the morning, ono in tho afternoon. This would bo an average of one hour a day. Unfortunately wo aro not permitted exerciso even when tho day is fino ; as witness, Thursday, 9th November, (a fino cloudless day) when wo were confined without a mouthful of fresh air. Committed men in all other places aro considered (and in tho eye of the law virtually are) innocent till convicted, and in consequence allowed somo recreation. In Hokitika on the' contrary they are treated far worse than men sentenced to hard labour, for these aro permitted, B or 9 hours daily luxury of freo breathing.' Would it not 1.0 possible to enclose a space for airing yard ? The cost may probably bo LlO or Ll2, but thereby possibly even lifo bo saved.

" Third.— That the present supply of blankets be thoroughly boiled and washed ; that wo bo allowed on any clear day sufficient boiling water and soap to wash any or all of our clothes, and thus effectually put a stop to at least tho facrcaso of our tormentors. We beg hereto state, without comment, that tho gaoler absolutely refused to ono of our number, who posesscs only one shirt, tho loan of a government shirt whilo he washed his own. Under such circumstances, how is it possiblo to keep clean ? "Fourth. — T-bat you would bo pleased—following tho practico in nil other gaols—occasionally, 01 at, stated periods, to visit the cells, hearing complaints, if any, and ascertain if habitations and men are clean.

" If you will bo good enough to consider that some of us have already heen in this close confinement for three months, and that we all have to remain at least two more before the trials are finished ; if you will consider that repeated remonstrances to the gaoler have availed nothing, and if you will tako into consideration that within tho last fortnight ono man has fainted four times from sheer want of exercise and air ; th?t last night not less than threo men wero miserably ill. and that every night from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. always some ono is at tho small window gasping for air, with the samo eagerness as wo may fancy evinced by tho unhappy victims of tho ' Black Hole '—if you consider this, wo may well bo pardoned if wo calculate upon your kind sympathy, praying that you will, as soon as possible cause remedies to bo applied." — (Signed by nine committed men ) To this communication no answer has been received, nor had up to this day any alteration taken place. Tho result is sure soon to forco itself upon tbo public, for it cannot bo doubted that a malignant fever is carefully nuvsed in these dungeons, and will break out if no preventive and sanitary* measures are &oon taken. No dog was ever treated as badly as aro tho prisoners in Hokitika gaol ; nor do I believe that thero ever existed in a British colony a prison so disgracefully and iguorantly managed. It is ( time somothing should bo done for these suffering men, and that they should bo treated and recognised as human beings, entitled to somo consideration — even if guilty— which guilt is however as yet not proven, nor by any means certain in many instances, since it may with tolerable safety be predicted that at least six of them will bo honorably acquitted. Timber is near at hand ; the Government have abundanco of reserves — then why not at onco build and enclose a substantial and safe gaol, where the prisoners could bo confined without endangering their health? A supremo court is built ; assizes are gazetted, but there is no place for tho prisoners I In justice to the public, who have a right to know of this vilo management, and to the prisoners, who havo a right to have their wellfounded grievances laid beforo impartial judges, I have penned these lines, and I hope that you, Sir, will find them of sufficient importance to grant them spaco in your valuable and widospread journal. FAin Pt/AY EVEN TO PIUSONEnS. 1 3th Nov., 1805. • ■ ■»