THE ESTIMATES AND THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 7361, 5 November 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE ESTIMATES AND THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—ln the columns of Monday's 'Daily Times'l noticed a statement from Wellington under the heading "Disposal of Prisoners;" and in the Evening Stab of the following Tuesday, from your own correspondent, that the Prisons Department is to be reorganised. What does this mean? Are we to import another prison inspector ? If so, this time by all means let us have the real " Sfmon Pure" If the last statement means anything, it is that the prisons are not managed as they should be. The present Government (with the exception of the prisons) mean well, and have shown the count'y how and where retrenchment can be effected. For example, they commenced with the Governor's salary, and the Premier docks off his own salary L 750 in one sweep. Would the Stout Government have done that? Certainly not, but would have reduced the poor laborer by taking away 6d per day, and adding to the salaries of those who were in receipt of hundred?. Those of your readers who may have noticed in last night's Stab that part of the Estimates referring to Otago are likely to be misled, especially in that portion of it referring to the Dunedin Prison The gaoler gets LlO added to his salary, which brings it.up to LBBO, or with allowances equal to L 450. This sum is far too much in the present distressed state of the Colony. On the 31st the number of male convicts was twenty-eight; short sentencesall for petty offences. Out of this number ten are employed at the Jubilee Park, and they are superintended by two warders; six more prisoners are engaged at the Botanical Gardens, with one warder, who is paid by the''City GounoiL In the different prisons many of the

wardens are paid by the Public Works Department, the object being to make it appear that the prisons are cheaply and carefully managed. Thus three warders attend to sixteen prisoner*. While in the gaol, where I should think less necessity exists for surveillance, it takes the remaining staff of six of the highest and best paid to attend to the requirements of the remaining twelve prisoners. Those of your readers who may not be acquainted with the doings of this branch of the Service would conclude that extraordinary reductions have been made in the Dunedin Gaol. Such in not the case. Never has that institution been more expensively managed according to the number of its inmates. Owing to the failure of the prisoners employed at the Heads to give satisfaction to the Harbor Board, and to the determination of that body to allow no more than Is 6d per day per prisoner, which was really as muoh as they were worth, the Prison Inspector took advantage of the opportunity, and removed close on fifty or nearly all the prisoners to the Northern goals. Of course the mist of the warders were also transferred with them. So this is how it appears that great savings have been effected in the gaol at Dunedin.

Should an inquiry take place, it would open the eyes of the public, who would see what a dear luxury the Prisons Department now i*» As a taxpayer, I decidedly protest against any increase in the salary of a single individual in the Service, and demand that substantial re? duclions should be made frum the governor down to the charwoman. The thing. is monstrous while thousands are out of employment, and those who can do so are leaving the Colony.—l am, etc., Retrenchment, Dunedin, November 3.