IRISH TRAMPS TORTURED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 249, 17 October 1908, Page 16

IRISH TRAMPS TORTURED.

GI'ARDIANS rUOUD OF HAVING REDUCED NL'MBEU OF CASUAL WAUD INMATES. A has been (aused throughout I tUe nortb of Ireliinil hj- tbe puMlcatiou of |au oUicial comuiuuication from the liUh Loral Uovernuient Board, to the Bnllyinoneyl <iu;irdiuns, relative to tbo adupllllg of :i | cold needle t?pray b:ith, as a punishment ! for workhouse iumates. ' The method adopted is to imprison the 'unfortunate pauper in a shower and spray 1 i bath with closed grating, while the work- \ j house porter turns on 300 jets eiiinultaneously from an elaliorate series ot per- ■ forated brass pipes for a space of two minutes. This punishment, says Ihe Local Government ISoard. being unauthorised by i ! law the guardians lmvi- no power to Con- ; ; vert what is intendetl as a means of ileans- • ! ing luiiKites into an instrument of torture, i and probably personal injury. Mr I'inn Krton, a guanliuu, pointed out' -'that the bath was simply used as a deter-1 rent for tramps, its introduction having re- - , sultetl in the weekly casual list being rei duced from ciffhly to ten. A resolution was ■ .subsequently unanimously adopted, rcfus-' j ing to use hot water instead of cold.