Punishment in a Japanese Prison.

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1136, 3 November 1904, Page 3

Punishment in a Japanese Prison.

"Hard Idleness." An intoresting account of tho principal prison in Tokyo is givon by a writer in a recent issuo of" Temple Bur" : Wo pnssod (ho says) to a number of largo, airy workshops, traversing en route the prison yard, hero no hideous expanse of sand bounded by dreary walls, bin a strotch of yellow gruvol bordered by long beds of flowering beans and clumps of shrubs, Tho workshops humintd like hives as wo entered them—all tbo working prisoners chattering and laughing with apparently little restraint from the few warders placed amongst them, giving instruction, or speaking to a prisoner in ut good natured way, In tho workshops, in spite of tho chatter, all tho prisonors were working hard. One workshop is devoted to tho manufacture of Government post bags; in another I saw forges, over which prisonors wore beaiing out red hot bars than would havo scorned dangerous !o outsiders end warders alike, bad not tho piis« onor blacksmiths looked bo bright and amiablo, The prisonors work from 7 n.m, until 5 p.m., and are well paid; so that, after ovon a comparatively short lime of imprisonment, aJapancso of tbo poorer classes (who can and do live in comfort on 2d a day or less por head) is well provided for sotno lime on regaiuing his liberty. 0 Close to tho workshop nro largo baths, very clean and well arranged, and a groat kitchen wero dinner was being prepared by smiling canucl cooks, who invited mo to tosto the prison rations, which consist of rice, potatoes, and a liltlo fish, and tasted excellent.

A novol form of punishment than may be called" Hard Idlonoss" is reservod for juvenile prisonors. Tho youthful culprits arc obliged to sit in solemn lines on tho lloor doing nothing, and cotnpollcd to remain immovablo, watched meanwhile by a wardor, This to an aotivo-brainod and nervous-bodied young Jnpanoso is tho mo3t irksome punishment conceivable It is not surprising to learn that this pleasant place of bondage tends lo crcato a class of habitual prisoners,