DR. FINDLAY'S PRISON TOUR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 439, 23 February 1909, Page 4

DR. FINDLAY'S PRISON TOUR.

STATE OF THINGS AT DUNEDIN

MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE

■ V TheVfibh.: VDr;; Fmdiay'jVMiriister:: for- Jus-;' tic©, -was.'interviewed .J)y; -an , ''Otagqv, Daily Times'!. report<jf.on;:soVGrar , ma,ttbrs''6f looal, and outsiae^interest ..affebting-;, :menbff : :~',.A : '::-'- : ';'-'±':i':'' - :,:: k^-'' ■ '':.■; TheV-Hon. : Dr.' ■.Findlay l :;.visited-i;Vand. inspected:;-the'vVlocal'vgaql;, 1 ; andV; quently -the' police: station; "I made a" careful iinspeotion;oi.. tlio ;'j»aol," .saidj/ho: : Ministor for Jiistice|C' , and';it\ : ap]pe»rsV. i to:i : < bej:iaftcir AucklahdjVthe .■.best-equipped' 'gaol, in .■.'■■ New.. qernedJ'rSomo ;slight.p;ltGrati6iis r may. be; re-, quired .'an order :,to' : improve L tlie ventilation,' but'beyond, that as .far'; as>'the> gaol ;is;;6on-: 'corned .ud- improvement .can iTJiO; number' 1 :of -prisoners: ;accqrdinz:-t^ ; thqVpq'pulatiqn,: has very .'much;, decreased' of. imeinbryji-I^tcli^ye^-there/idro"''^^^''^?^^.-^^!^ , : :'bβCT^■■■hβro■^n^n?in^'■t.^..■N a 'P■'^■■i'^^^?' 1^'i ' l ■ , : are 'only eight women arid 02jinen here.;" As; .regards both daylight ■and , pleanliriess noth-* yin'g-.■'better could be.Sesired,'i:,The ;gaorisVei- . ceediugly well managed.,: ; V .V ■ ','.. ' _: ,■■ Vγ".::; •'.■'.■■ ■V- '.'I also.;inspeotedtho police., station, ,, ''said : the.Hon. 'Dr. Pindlay,' "and .had : the': men , paraded before' me and addressed -to .them a ; few': woriis.' ; 'il , he r p6lico;.' station ;• Vherb-,- will, shortly'requiroVsome .small: additions', in;tho 'rfay.fof: extra : accommodation,'for/the.singlb: members of the; force,''also Jn, the, way-of-further cell ac'cftrhmddotion.. ruXVith.'ithese, small additions there will.be ample.provision' ior come... It is in liO'Way:contem-, plated .'that- there:, should : bo. any change' of location.-.. Every thing in.cbrine'ctionV wjth the< j police V station, ■.■'as: in j-the baso :.qf . the gaol, Ws.in'pribd order." V ; '".'.>■'.■'. -; : ?■'.■■'•'.- ■■.]■ V-VVV has' beori >.ome- pretty,.persistent agitation-'of;. ':laj;o:fbr\th.ov appointment, of- a ; spcbnd, :; .'res(i dential ma?istrat«' at punedin,' the. : Jlmister : replied:V'l.hayc.asked-the latest;map;istrato | ■ appointed. VMr'..-Young, qf:WestpbrtJ ; to-take the Naseby : district,- and. it 1 seems ■to-' mo that.-he-would,'possibly 'be -able' Vtd'i spare sufficient time ..to give thei magistrate: ■in;T>i'n<?din■-■ such; assistance, as;is' required. HoVwilFnllthe:magisterial: requirements of;. til? -Nasebv. district; but need, not necessarily. : reside,: at N'a.seby.'. That,-would,-howeyerj ;he;--.left tO'.himselfj.but'.l have no doubt it would be better woW ho to reside in Dunodin or near..'tliere.;;.v;;r.havo;>had ; ;the; figures'taken; out, and Kayo.■;compared ; the.-work'dorie: in ; , the .different centres', -and, after the" fullest; »cpns;deratioriit;seems'te,'irie ; that.a second magistrate,; who;: would give his tiino:.entirely.' .to Dunedin,: is --unnecessary,.' I think .it will be generally admitted that this arrangement . n'ill.nieot with requirement's. , ;' v;; -;V ■; ..'■"'" ;' y '"According to Cabmet.mmutej-itV'ha&ibeen 'announced.; that'..all persons.in ■merit service: are to retire when over.,6s.;years ,of age, Vand 'although; •'• possible ,'dxoeptidns ; may .have ; ,te: be,! ; niade' herg, and : -there; for: a' short 'time; in orderVtd. prevent a 'dislocation of. the services the spirit of,that decision will be carried" into effect! • This .will involve* the ;retirement , .Pf. three^magistrates;'.and it will ■affect one- or .two 'governors of'-Gaols, and ; nrobably some: eight. or; nine.;warders,: Fpl-, rlowing,.on 'theso'retirements,,'whenever : p*os-' :sible, promotion will be made from '■ the ranks '•of: those; in the. different Depa'rtrnents. ■accdrdinp: tp seniority : of service,,regard, : of, :course,.being also 'had/to" efficiency..: ; The actual datb. at which\those',who are over the. age limit are,to go out of the service wiirbe dccide&by Cabinet" at 'an.:early, date." ', ; '.