JUSTIFIED BY RESULTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20271, 13 August 1937, Page 2

JUSTIFIED BY RESULTS.

BRITISH PRISON REFORMS. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES. In a discussion on prison problems in the House of Commons the Home Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, said that the system of according privileges at the start of a sentence instead of awarding them as time went on, had proved so successful that they were now prepared to extend It to the three convict prisons at Chelmsford, Parkhurst and Dartmoor) The soherne, which originated at Wakefield, gave the' men an opportunity of earning wages with which to buy ‘‘relaxations such. as cigarettes.” At the same time, he emphasised, amid cheers, that ‘‘the greatest prison reform is one which keeps people out of prison altogether.” Boys Who “Made Good." Turning to the question of approved schools, Sir Samuel gave this information— Forty thousand old boys of the schools were known to have served in the Forces. That was equivalent, on an Infantry basis, to four divisions, or one army corps. At present several old boys were playing in first-class cricket. One or two of them had been distinguished members of the House of Commons. One old boy had such a feeling of gratitude for his training, and had so ‘‘made good” that he had been giving not less than £IOO a year to his old school for various prizes and other activities. Mr T. E. Harvey ((Ind., Combined English Universities), speaking as a prison visitor, said that the prison diet was too monotonous. *T cannot see,” he stated, ‘‘why a man who is in prison for years should never have fresh fruit. I don't ask for pampering or luxury, but I do think that tho monotony of the diet should be looked Into, and that some attempt should be made to get greater variety.”