BORSTAL LIFE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 11

BORSTAL LIFE.

"BOYS SORRY TO LEAVE." PRAISE FOR INSTITUTION. LABOUR MEMBER DOUBTFUL. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. | ''Magistrates commit young offenders to the Borstal institution, believing it is J a school where they will be kept under discipline, but it reeks of gaol," said Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour, Christchurch South) in the House to-day. He urged the Minister of Justice to remove the prison aspects. New Zealand had no right to use the term Borstal when the spirit of that scheme was not followed. The idea was to make boys better citizens, but many went out with hatred in their hearts ana revengeful feelings. The Hon. J. G. C'oates, Leader of the Opposition, said the Borstal scheme was reorganised some years ago, with good results. There were many forms of sport. The farming and trade education was valuable, but it was essential to have discipline. Mr. D. McDougall (Government, Mataura) said lie knew of boys the institution so interested in their farm work that they wanted to stay bevond their term to see the results. Mr. F. Waite (Reform, C'lutha) considered the boys at the Borstal institution were happy. When they had a summer camp outside they finished with a cross-country race from the camp to the gaol. The Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, stated that the Prisons Depart-ment-regarded the Borstal institution as its createst success It taught boys farm- j ing'and trades. There was a fine library j and there were football and cricket j teams. Fewer than 10 per cent of the 1 :in wares ever appeared cgahi before the! Court.-, whereas iu England the percentage of recurrence was 33. He knew > Mr. Howard took great interest, and was j anxious that the Borstal .scheme should be successful. He would like him to visit the institution in the recess, and next session give the House a full, account of. his impressions. 1