PRISON CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 109, 4 November 1926, Page 12

PRISON CONTROL

(To the Editor.) ; _ Sir,—l was present at last night's meeting in the Town Hall of the P.P.A., and much that was either incorrect or misrepresented was told to the large audience there I hope you will publish this letter, it only to dispel the consequent uneasiness that must arise in the minds of n large section of the community of thin city. For the life of me, I cannot understand ivhy this roar of disapproval ai; the appointment of the unfortunate Mr. B. L. Dallard to the Controller-General-ship of Prisons. The practical and experienced seniors in the Prisons Service did not want the job, and as regards the office staff o£ the Prisons or Justice Department, generally there were none of, lengthy service or better qualified thac Mr. Dallard himself. One gentleman referred to did not, I believe, on very good authority, want the position. Neither did Mr. Dallard himself, I understand, when he- took over temporary charge. From what; I can gather, he was pressed to take the job. Why was not a military man or an expert appointed? Well, the first head of the Prisons Department in this country was a military man, but it has never been acknowledged that he took pride of place over his three immediate successors, who were men with years of clerical experience. Why was no objection taken to their appointments? The late Mr. C. E. Matthews is acknowledged to have been a Controller-General of the right stamp, and to have been eminently successful in the reform of the prison system. Yet he began as a young man, with' no previous experience of prison matters other than as private secretary o£ several" Ministers of Justice (and be it remembered that the Prisons Department is only part, and not the largest, part either, of the matters that come within the guidance of the Minister of Justice). Why cannot Mr. Dallard, as a young man, also do great things for the prisons system? Isn't it fairer to give the younger men of this country a chance rather than bring out older men from England or elsewhere? As a matter of fact, Mr. Dallard has been for years a keen student of criminology. This fact has not received the prominence it should. The fact that Mr. Dallard successfully handled the importation of raw sugar into this country was unduly thrown off by the Rev. Mr. Elliott as a qualification, but tioes not this fact show that Mr. Dallard is skilled in finance and administration matters beyond the ordinary clerical man, who is too often lacking in practical knowledge? No one can deny that the first and foremost qualification of the head of a Government Department is the possession of such skill. In Mr. Dallard's case he has an inspector of prisons and a number of senior superintendents who can supply the practical knowledge, and all are as keen for prison reform as the Rev. Mr. Elliott and many others. Personally, I think we might safely leave the care of the Prisons Department to Mr. Dallard and them. Why was not an expert appointed? The bother is that so many experts are not experts at all. A word or two about other matters: The Rev. Mr. Elliott showed us a copy of the Prisons Regulations. It would be interesting to know if they were really the Prisons Regulations, and, if so, how Mr. Elliott became possessed of them. Anyhow, he had not read them properly, because the information he gave us regarding the number of, and interval between, visits to prisoners was incorrect. Regarding the preferential treatment of one of the men recently released by the Prisons Board, it is obviously unfair ; to saddle the responsibility for them on to Mr. Dallard. That was entirely a matter for the Minister of Justice. The man in question was sentenced to detention in a Borstal Institute on a Saturday midday or thereabouts. Arrangements could not be made for his transmission thereto till such time in the following week as an escort, etc., could be arranged. In the meantime the Terrace Prison authorities would have no power to put him into prison clothes and otherwise treat hint as an inmate. It has also to be considered that the trial of this man extended over the greater part of a week, during which time he would have of necessity to have meals and sleep at the Terrace Trison. Until any man is found guilty he is innocent, and during the period of trial, any accused person is allowed to have fruit, eggs, and anything else nia relatives choose to send to him.—l am, etc., FAIR PLAY IS BONNY PLAY.