PRISONS BOARD DECISIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 110, 5 November 1926, Page 6

PRISONS BOARD DECISIONS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —It is not the practice of the members of the Prisons Board to discuss publicly the affairs of those committed to their charge, because they are sacred. I should, however, like with your kind permission to state:— . (1) That all casea are carefully considered from every standpoint, chiefly with a view to prevent a casual offender from becoming a confirmed criminal. ' (2) That in the whole length of my membership no person has attempted to influence me, and from the many relatives and friends I have had only one request that the case should be carefully considered. (3) I think that Mr. Howard Elliott would have agreed with the decisions of the board had he known the foil particulars of the eases he referred to. (4) I feel that Mr. Dallard has been very unfairly treated. He was a complete stranger to me a few months ago. I find ho is a man of considerable ability, and applying to the full as he is this ability to his now position, I feel confident he will make good, not only in the very important words of administration, but in the endeavour to permanently improve those committed to his care.—l am, etc, WILLIAM EEECE, Member of the Prisons Board. Dr. J. T. Pinfold writes: —"As I was on the platform at the meeting in the Town Hall called to hear tho Rev. John Enright, I should be grateful if you would permit mo to say that I had no previous knowledge that the Rev. Howard Elliott was intending to attack Mr. B. L. DaDard, Con-troller-General of Prisons. I wish completely to dissociate myself from Mr. Elliott's remarks, which I regard as uncalled for, unworthy of the speaker, and which certainly did not give a fair statement of the situation. There are few, if any, better qualified to speak of the needs of prison work in its varied branches than tho Bey. J. Holmes, of Upper Hutt. He has spoken jnost highly of the qualifications of Mr. Dallard for the position to which ho has recently been appointed. His judgment may bo relied upon much more fully and without .doubt or reserve than that of the Bey. Howard Elliott."