PRISON DISCIPLINE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2903, 14 November 1866, Page 6

PRISON DISCIPLINE.

To the Editor of the Daily Soothikn Ckoss. Sir, — I am a thorough believer in fair-play, and I do not like to see a useful public servant unjustly accused of dereliction of duty without good and sufficient cause for so doing, brace the recent escape of the two prisoners from the Stockade, a great deal has been both s;d I and written relative to the alleged gross caielessness displayed by Mr. Tuckwell, the piesent Governor of the Gaol, in allowing these escape?. Now, Mr. Editor, it strikes me, and I dare say nviny others likewise, that the insinuations and suggestions that have been made relative to these escapes have been most unfair and uncalled fur. Mr. Tuckwell is blamed solely for the escape of Robinson occurring, inasmuch that it was at his instigation that his (Robinson's) irons were removed. I maintain, and 1 believe with justice too, that Mr. Tuckwell was perfectly justified in. iecommending tbeir removal. The convict had repeatedly prayed that tbey nvght be removed, in order to give him a last cbance of lessening somewhat his hard lot by future good conduct ; and it shows, t) my mind, a merciful cfon&iiieration in. the Governor of the iGaol, that| adds materially to hia fitness for the office he occupies, that he should have acceded to his prayer. I would simply ask, Mr. Editor, is a criminal sent to gaol for the sole purpose of making his punishment almost heavier than he cau bear? or is it not, on the contrary, a chief object to judiciously relax that punishment somewhat, when possible, in order to give a prisoner the chance oi retrieving somewhat, by future good conduct, the offence he has been guilty of ? If no signs of clemency were to be held out to the convicted, their case woull be hard indeed. Su-ely the thoughtless writer of the observations in question might be of my mini], too, without any offence to public considerations. Those who may have visited the Mount Eden Stockade, since^the appointment of Mr. Tuckwell, cannot but feel wtrongly impressed by the vast improvement he has caused, both iv its management and the welfare of its recipients; and for one 1 most emphatically state that I believe him to be in every way well fitted for the high position he now occupies. Mr. Tuckwell's experience in the management of criminals is by no means a recent* one, whilst the high testimonials of fitness that he holds fully prove that previous confidence in his integrity and ability was not misplaced. If, instead of end* ivouring to point out the iinagiued shortcomings oE the gaoler, some suggestions had been offered calculated to show how necessary it was that that officer should receive some further assistance to enable' him to successfully discbarge his duties, a better course would have been adopted. In the present undefended state of the gaol, without wall of any description to retain the prisoners in bounds, added to the close proximity of various habitation?, offering increased facility for their escape, the only wonder t> me is that more do not attempt it, and I should be by no means surprised to' hear one day that the majority, if not the whole of them, had flown. If the Government of the province are unable to furnish funds sufficient for the erection of a wall round the Stockade, they cannot be surprised at such escapes taking place ; neither can they if there is an insufficiency of guards to watch the piisoners whilst working outside the gaol. It was, and probably is, customary in Victoria to keep a horse saddled and bridled close to the gaol, in order to afford increased facilities for the capture of any prisoner that might escape. A similar plan would appear to me advisable hore. Had a deputygaoler beeu put in Mr. Tuokwell'a place after the escape of Eobinson, in order to allow Mr. Tuckwell to follow on his track, I dare veuture to say that the convict would have returned long ere this. In conclusion, I would only add that the next time we are treated to a discharge of " heavy metal," I do hope that we shall be inflicted with a " small bore," as the large bores are really astounding. — I have, &c, " Light Metal." ■