DEBTORS IN PRISON.

West Coast Times, Issue 239, 28 June 1866, Page 2

DEBTORS IN PRISON.

(to the editor of the vtest coast times.) Sib,— Some two months back'you very ably urged the necessity of some remedial measures being taken with a view to ameliorate the condition of prisoners , .and debtors incarcerated in , the Hokitika "logs." But what has been the result:' true, a public meeting was held, and addressed by able and influential men,, who denounced the Government and tne gaol in no measured terms, at the same time sympathising with the unfortunates! This, no doubt, was very good, as far as it went ; but had a single one of those whose bosoms were over-swelling with the milk of human kindness, at the same time burri-» ing with manly indignation, visited the " logd 1 ' during the last two mbnth^ they would find that tho debtors are now subjected to the same treatment as they were previous to tho meeting. In fact, at the time I write, there are ten debtors confined in a cell ten feet by twelve feet, and the horrible smell that pervades the place can only be realised by those who have to inhale it during twenty-three hours out of the twenty-four, and often much longer in wet weather, ' when for two or three days together they cannot stir from their wretched den. I did think that the meeting alluded to would have had the desired effect of initiating some more appropriate means of dealing with debtors, or at all events would have been the means of enabling them to bring their grievances boforo the authorities, and that the visiting Magistrates, of whom we have two, would have at least condescended to have inspected this hot-bed of impurity ; but on the contrary, those "overworked and ill paid" officials have never during the whole period of four months once visited this portion of the jail, and neither has the Inspector of Police, under whose immediate control this department is, ever thought fit to bother himself about the comfort or welfare of those under his charge. The debtors incarcerated were under the impression that, as the Commissioner of Police was in Hokitika, some good might result, and have waited anxiously for a visit from him, but without avail ; therefore I have again ventured to bring this matter under your notice, seeing that the Superintendent is expected in Hokitika, so that his Honor may have an opportunity afforded him of knowing the evils connected with imprisonment for debt as carried out in the gaol at Hokitika. . Apologising for trespassing so far upon your valuable space, I am, Sir, yours, &c, A Debtor. Debtors' cell, Hokitika gaol, 26th June.

The Road Mubdeb'.— The parents of Constance Kont ""have raised an action of damages in tho Court of Session, against tho " t)aily Review," a newspaper published in Edinburgh, for a " false and calumnious" artiole which appeared in that journal on the 27th of July last. The artiolo complained of make's strong charges and insinuations against the pursuers. While tho mother is described as tho author and occasion of the grossest oruolties to Constance, tho article founded on contains the following remarks as to the position of Mr Kont : — " Neither itt hor case nor in Dr. Pritohard's, have aU tho facts been divulged ; but the case. Qf tho girl differs from Dr Pritohard's inasmuch a^with respect to her — tho worst," at, all events, is known. And on this point we 'We compelled to diffor from tho loading journal. 'It is difficult,' says " Tho Times," « to doubt that Mr Kont must have been aware of the guilt of his daughter, or have had strong suspicions. Yet it does not appear that at the time when public opinion bore hardest on him he tried to divert the weight from himself by suggesting that the crime lay with his child. This is not quite accurate, , If he did not believo hor guilty, it was a most diabolical thing to act that belief histrionically so far as abtually to apply to her trustee to ascertain if the property to" ■which she was ontitled through tier mother could not be bo seouro as, in«tho event of her conviotion, to Srovent it from going by confiscation to the rown j and, if ho did beh'ovo her guilty, the man who in Buoh circumstances could occupy ' his mind with a scheme for securing the reversion of tho poor^ girl's goods mus.t/ hp,ve " affooted " tho goods, ono would say, an immons^jdo'al more than tho girl." The, dftina,ge'B aro 'laid pt LBOOO. '