A HELPING HAND.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 404, 13 January 1909, Page 3

A HELPING HAND.

FOR UPLIFTING PRISONERS. For two years' tho Prisoners',. Aid ■ has been doing''useful ami humane work, hi helping and relieving dischargee]' prisoners' who are- desirous of making a fresh start in tho world. Its work has been carried, out .by voluntary contributions, and so unostentatious are the society's methods that many people are unaware of what is being done. Yesterday a Dominion, reporter was given some particulars ..of- results achieved. ■ At tho head of tho institution as president is tho Chief-Justice, .Sir Kobert Stout, and it is duo to his active interest that the , usefulness of the society is so : marked. The chairman is Dr. M'Arthur, and Mr. Edwin Arnold, is treasurer and administrator' of the funds. The work of the'society, has many, branches.. It supplies clothes to discharged prisoners, and, where necessary, provides them with board and lodging for a short period/ Its energies- aro, chiefly directed,, however, ;■ to finding work for men newly released from prison. . Lately.it has been found very hard to get work .-for men on farms, and the only, employment that is offered' is on the roads and-at bush-felling, for which, , -of cpursejvallmen'are not adapted:■ ; .Moreover, many people; if : they find .out that .'the' applicant : for employment lias been in'gaol, will have nothing to do with him.' 'It will, therefore, bo apparent that .this branch .of the society's work is; by no" means easy.... Mr.: , Arnold,' treasurer of,' the society,: states that he, thought that if the ■: Government' established ■a farm or some institution -where ex-prisoners' could get a start again they would.be.doing ,a very good,' work. 'Such a place would , also be usbd for thVdetentjon ;of; old rrieii—derelicts of life's seii— who, being penniless.' and unable to' obtain 'employment, . became ' vagrants and filled the. prisons:: Mr. Arnold stated .that ,his scheme had. been, mentioned ■to the late Mr. Seddori, who had* of it. As to work amongst women- prisoners, the society does. little, '■ for. the; reason ;that there, is. very little-to do. 'At one. time there, had'been as many. , as-thirty-female prisoners ■in Wellington, Gaol, but; now there were.only, 'about a dozen. ■;. ;' ; ,:'• ;■ , ; .-"-. ,-':.' '■'< /