ANOTHER PROTEST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 635, 12 October 1909, Page 6

ANOTHER PROTEST.

1 THE PRISON HOME. :, ■ . The-proposal of the Salvation Army to.-esl tablish a prison gate home at Island- Bay 'was made the subject of a deputation by residents from that'suburb'to the\Hon. Dr. Jindlay fof. Justice) yesterday. ■ Deputation and Petition.., ( Mr. Luke,-M.P.,.in introducing the'deputa. tipn,..stated that its members fully recognised the, great social .work of tho Salvation Army. . And .they, were not protesting on the ground that:, the establishment of the institution might bring about, a'reduotion inVthe value of their property. It was believed,' however, that the institution would prove a menace to the inhabitants, especially to'the women and children, and they. asked Dr. Findlay (as' Min'i-i-ster., for Justice) to . recommend what steps.' could be taken to prevent the erection of the institution at Island Bay. At the same time, they did not wish, to throttle the efforts of the Army.- ■■-..•■ .• ■ ~..-. . JAr. C.Chatfield presented a petition against the establishment of the institution. .. This' petition bore the signatures of 251 women residing at Island Bay: The proceedings taken ; were the outcome of the largest meeting that had fever been held in their district. If it were proposed to establish a gaol whose inmates would be properly guarded no objection might be raised. But it might happen that there would' be ; thirty inmates in ; the home,; and in addition there would be their friends, i 'making'.in all, perhaps, fifty or sixty undesirables roaming about the ; district. . Under those circumstances, one policeman, who'was. not allowed a , telephone,' and had frequently to Visit the, city, wouH be unable to afford adequate protection. Island Bay had now a population of from 1000 to "1500, and the proposal had caused consternation among the women-folk and the yonng people. He went on.to say that-the City Council had also deprecated tho "proposal," and police officials to whom he had spoken had said that they would be sorry for the residents if the home were established in their midst.

I, Dr. Findlay: Have the Salvation Army ■authorities acquired a site,at Island Bay? ; 'Mr. Chatfield: They have .bought a house, :which it is;believed-they propose to.enlarge;' • I'. -, '■■; Dr. Findlay' on the Army.' '. Dr/Findlay, in-reply, eaid that such an important petition, and'deputation called : for attention. He was very glad that the deputation bad expressed such strong approbation generally of the social work that the Salvation Army was-doing. As.Minister for Justice, he had had special- opportunities of noting the value Df that work, which he considered a • noble one, Wherever his Department, had come in contact with that' institution, they •had been met with a hearty spirit of co-opera-tion. On Pakatoa-Island, which was the most striking example of the Salvation Army being employed by law • f orvreform purposes, it was doing admirable work in connection with the' reformation of drunkards. It would, he con-tinued,-be unfair to ask him to express upon , that.occasion his opinion on the reasonableness or otherwise, of establishing the proposed home at Island' Bay. He had heard one side of the.question, and before he should be asked, to condemn it he should have an opportunity , of glistening to, the other'side. ' " , ~ '.-.

Tlie Only. Way: Friendly Intervention, % . If he were called-on to reply to the forceful arguments that-had been adduced by the deputation he would, say that he failed to see where, he had the slightest- power or jurisdiction to interfere' in the matter. If the home were . subsidised ■by the Government in any way, and it were 6hown to be undesirable; the subsidy might be withheld, bnt it was selfsupporting so ; Far as the Government was con-cerned.-'The-f position was analogous, to that of. ; a' : man: starting 'a'boarding-house to cater for a ; class which , might-be undesirable in the eyes of-other sections of the community;! If an individual- or the community; at largo suffered injury there' ( was a remedy by way of proceedings for injunction. Those who complained, would, however, have to satisfy a. Court of,, justice that there . ...was a.nuisance' which might-mean anything that would 'interfere': with tho decencies of life. Such an allegationr would ba , investigated apart from atiy?consideration;-local or pecuniary. .There was : no legal ground , for complaint out-side--the: "onep. , : which. :he ..had indicated. Aparf frofo'iSthe l merits?of the-.case, which he was" not discussing, it would be a dangerous thing" if a Minister should, under .some arbitrary or assumed power, try to .interfere without legal; right, in a matter of the kind—in fact it ■■•would 'contravene the true spirit of British fair play;.'•" So.-far, however, as by friendly; intervention; his officers,were of any .use he' would. gladly-offer- them to -the deputation. '*.*■■■■/■- I''-/'"-:* , ',--■:';. ■-.. :-l , \

'.He might/say-.that'he had great ndmiration foif.'Briga'dierßrayi'who was Dne of. the most coriscie.ntious and effective Salvation. Army .«'- fleers' of 'whom -he knew. .The brigadier, r-as, he believed, a reasonable man, and if ,ihe .deputation, had!,good.grounds on .its side, he had no doubt but that he would acfj reasonably. He. would be ,glad "to ask the brigadier to ■ see him ■ so' : that he' might hear. what _he had to. say in reply to'.what the deputation had.brought 'under- his notice., .'■..; , J 'Possible Sites:. City; Hutt, Happy Valley. During the course of: subsequent, discussion Mr. Chatfield said that if the proposed home were erected elsewhere than in Island 'Bay he for one .would be very_ pleased to give the . Salvation Army a "donation'yearly.' .:• .■•■■•• : Another member of the'deputation: .Sowonla. Dr.'Findlay: Where do you suggest.it should be 1 established? w' ■■' ■■■ ■,'■'■■■ '•-. -Mr. Chatfield: Along the Hutt-.Eoad or Happy;galley,' or* along,the Coast. Dr. Rndlay: It'has .been found by experience -that of. the; kind, to. be , ; a success, must be established near a centre.( ■-■• .•■■' ': Sir.. Chatfield:.;. They should be where they can -be'properly controlled. , • \' ; •■ •..■ •Jlr. Luko. remarked that the proposed home would in time be converted into ;.a-factory. Hβ thought 'tho Government should ■■ subsidise homes of .the'kind in :the four centres. The homes "should bo placed, on suitable, sites in the city, but not'iin what were altogether residential areas"; , ; ; ■ Dr. Findlay; A'.site in the city would:be prohibitive in price... , .' .. ■. ■•' '■ • -'■ Ifr. Luke: I know, of sites in regard to which that. would not be. the,- case. .... " Dri Fin'dlay said .that he; found' in', connection with tho tree-planting stations, protests after protests came to hand, and he would bo travelling to-the ends of New Zealand if he.had not put his foot down and said.that they would nave to establish somewhere.