PRISONERS AT WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 107, 7 May 1924, Page 7

PRISONERS AT WORK.

BENEFITS OF FARMING. A MINISTER PLEASED WITH PROGRESSol "Our present reformative methods i a.l should be larsely in the direction of u_ icrrieultura! activities for the prisoners," ir said the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of s , Justice, in an interview with a '"Star" '\i representative to-day. d Mr. Ptirr. who is at present making an a inspection of the various prisons an.l k reformatories in the N'ortli Island, in li 'ompany with Mr. T. Matthews, Coniu- a. trollcr of Prisons, expressed himself us ; p lelighted with t!ie progress made inside p two years at the Hautu Reformatory [;c Farm, at Tokino. The Government p owns 10.000 acres of pumice land which [ n is being developed by the men detained i v at this farm, and the results up-to-date \ .' have proved very satisfactory. i i The advantages of farming for pris- j t oners are twofold, said Mr. Parr. In jl> the first place .1 great deal of poor land ; X is being developed and improved, and ,i: this will undoubtedly be used by the jJ , Government later on for the purposes (i of closer settlement. In the second 1 0 place, and equally important, quite a: v number of the inen'acquire a taste ior , } farming, anil 011 being released they go \ i on the laiiil. The training on the re- ' 8 formative farms is good, and the ex- ! - perience varied and useful. About l-'iO i> prisoners in the Xortli Island are nl present fanning;. Those are men ivlm i are considered reliable, for the super- 1 vision ar.tl restriction on the farms U 1 by 110 moans oppressive, and the authori- ■ ] ties have to rely upon the men's I 1 parole. If a prisoner breaks his word i t of honour and escapes, he is generally ! t ■recaptured and is punished for the of- j ' fence. In addition, he can no longer J < l)e counted trustworthy. j .