TERRACE GAOL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 117, 19 May 1914, Page 8

TERRACE GAOL

W. T. YOUNG'S CRITICISM DEPARTMENTAL EEPLY. To a Post reporter to-day the Departmenfc of Justice made a reply to the recent criticism of Mr. W. T. Young regarding the Terrace Gaol. With regard to cooking, the Department states Mr. Young's statements are entirely untrue. The food supplied is of goqd quality and cooked under proper conditions. The bread is of exceptionally good quality, as ako is the meat; there may have been complaints some time ago, but there is no cause for ' complaint now. The exercise yards are much larger than the dimensions stated by Mr. Young, and as the prisoners only occupy these yards for two hours on Saturday afternoons and five hours on Sundays and holidays, they are regarded as sufficient for exercise purposes. Prisoners are never exercised in the rain ; in wet weather they are exercised in the corridors. As to leaky cells : A little while ago a few leaks developed, and they were at once attended to, and the roofs are now in good condition. No prisoner is ever called upon to occupy a damp cell. Some of the cells in the older portion of the prison are of the dimensions stated by Mr. Young, but that cannot be remedied. The corridors and cells are, however, well ventilated. Every prisoner bathes at least once a fortnight, and those employed on dirty work bathe once a week. The difficulty in this respect lies in the fact that the majority of the prisoners dislike bathing, and would shirk it if possible. The statement that prisoners suffering from contagious diseases use the same baths as the other men is not correct. A separate bath is provided for men suffering from contagious diseases. As a matter of fact, wherever possible shower baths are provided for prisoners. Prisoners are not marched out in heavy rain, as alleged; they are kept in until the weather clears. It may have happened, however, that they have been caught in the rain. In such cases dry clothing is provided. The clothing provided for the prisoners is amply sufficient, and no fault can reasonably be found with it. The blankets are in good condition and sufficient for warmth purposes. The statements made by Mr. Young about the punishment cell, the Department \pdds, are not correct. It is not a dark cell. The Department is qurte aware of the unsuitability of the^ Terrace prison, and the question of making other provision in Wellington is now receiving the consideration of the Government, and by the erection of the new prison at Waikeria and the addition to the prisons at Auckland and Invercargill, accommodation will be found for a large number of the prisoners who are now confined in Wellington. There may have been some overcrowding at the beginning of the year as the outcome of the strike, but the number is now reduced to normal, and with the construction of proposed alterations there will be no further complaints on that score. ' The idea is to erect a small, up-to-date prison in Wellington, sufficient only for local requirements. In about twelve months room for about 100 prisoners will havo been provided at Invercargill and for a similar number at Waikeria, while the additions to the Auckland prison will provide accommodation for from 50 to 8G additional prisoners.