LYTTELTON GAOL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 419, 30 January 1909, Page 7

LYTTELTON GAOL.

!^Ngs^DEM^WJDRIK, 'kN^ ,^ ■i-V : C:ii.'- ;/]., ■ : phrJstphUrchi- January 20; : -fy Ai.lThpT. Hpn\;;/;Dr, K'Fitidlay;';- accompanieiiv'hy Poiic9 ; /Cpriimissioner;':'Dirinie,fYirispeotedftbe ,police/./fprce/jUrider;,'Jnspeotbrv Gillies ; tlus : ■af tbnioon! : -The' Minister tlie'rneh,. and'' his; ; remarks'■"jf.iveref Cordially./: 'receiycd,.j -Uator.-.-iii tho .afternoon-' ; 'Dr!''-Firidlay,/: accbiripariied by Messrs..,G,.'Laureiisbil ; Bnd'H.''G/.-' jEU'j-.-'MvP.-'s; :paii .aiv'bffibial Tisit. bf' irispec-: 'tiqn' tb : Ly.tte|t6n',.Gaql;.V l Seeri ! i :'pi'ibr*: to ,his; departure/ foß'Ayelljngtpif ; by 'th"b> .ATstriroay-vthe. Minister i said^that ! iJie i :;.wAs nri-.| ;aßloi to regafd^ 1 ;irigHhis ; visit gaor:beyprid< , thq siatfei. nieiif; that; the ;bu.ildirigs' we're;''far/' : frpm ? ; new; 1 / I)aurenßoii, r; MvP, 4 , : gave: some';-information;fe-Mrr Lauren--..spri : stated....thatvDr. Findlay njadeli- very-, .ciireful:,:insp.eotiftn. : ;'pf-,-.tho"'prison, spending"• .over.ari'.hbur; inhis'tour/of "itho: "buildings, , Although ho was very reticent as. to his future coursb;of ■:actipn, _the;Minister/indicated^one! ■njatter. that certainly was ■in nebd:of• reform,' .arid;'that, was tho necessity for, the-better, lighting'of the cells tlian.was, at;present obtainable., ■ ln ; the: north wing.bf, the , gaol tho ■Minister - found' that '-the, prisoners; were compelled to' sit 'in/what were., almost dark/cells ! ; whon locked; for .evbf' fifteen';-hbur's every N day ■■ during: .the: summer. .month's.- • In winter the .conditions ■■ were'■somewhat'; Better,- as the' cells were than lighted'by\ gas;uritil.B. p'clbbk'.'ovefy.. ■ntgljt.-;-—Therp is/;a library./attached:.to thb ;tpe;.'bobks' wero'ycry old,'and that, there were ,very;.fe>. modern qrder;.arid discipline amongUheprispriors,' the': statpVpfperfebt. cleanliness;;'(ind>the' ply,- acoording■ .tb! : Mr:.'-Laureh'son>''left/but-lit-: .tie- to' be desired/'•:It ;was;>'however, Tory'ap--m-tfae gaol, thbro was no possibility, of.:.and:httlb; : attempt -made at 'proper olassiMiition of tlie-'prisoriersV.: While the gaol cer•iamly fulfils' all ; .tbo-oonditiphs' of boiiis an injtrument of .pjinishment-fpr: criminals', little or.nothing was ..being, done 1 to attempt, to"re'rorrarany _ of •' thpse. coming '.within- the' -wallsof ;:the;.pnson; .'.•;Lytteltbii.'Gapl is tho ; first prisqnjtp'..be..-irispectedvby thevMiriister. for Justice, wlio^nteiids;. however,: to yisitairthe : gaols .of the; colony::.-. According to . Mr; Laurenson, .the Mimster":.is, /-mclined ,te think that tljere.are.-too ; many small 'gaols Mrig kept'open, and. th'ot it':wpuld, bb. far better & have : ;or; two: largeAcentral/ prisons which: a, proper : system: pf classification.-andirefornv of the, inmates .could ;.be»iarried i put-./ :-.;As Vet',' /W^i/vne/Ministcr-iha?,not-combitp? any: ■.definite decision rbgardmg'.this -inatterv>bjiti •n™rhaymK- , scon,for.himself.'certam.'matte'r , e. , /brought, under bis notice by Messrs. Lauren-' son. and Ell, he osprossed himself as being quite convinced;; as' to; tho room; existing ; lot vast improvements in our. present:system of dealjiriK:with those unfortunates:.ws;iiavo lapsed'