OUR PRISONS.

Evening Star, Issue 7787, 7 December 1888, Page 3

OUR PRISONS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sik, —ln a letter in the Stab of last night, signed “An Old Gaol Officer,” the writer acknowledges that our gaols have been very insecurely guarded, and have become notorious from the escape of so many prisoners within such a short time, and he endeavors to exonerate Captain Hume by throwing the blame on the gaolers in charge of the various prisons. But, to compare great things with email, I think New Zealand is very much in the same position with regard to the gaols that London has been wtih their police, with Sir Charles Warren for Commissioner. The London papers are at last unanimous in declaring that a military man is totally unfit for that high position—that it requires specially trained men for the police force. The Press do not attempt to shield Sir Charles Warren by putting the blame on his subordinate officers fas your correspondent tries to exonerate Captain Hume by putting the blame on his gaolers), but they distinctly eay that “ ho,” as the chief of police, has disorganised the force by his militarism, and muss go ; and accordingly he has resigned, after doing an incalculable amount of mischief, and Mr Munro, a trained officer (late chief of the detective force in London), who resigned some time ago in consequence of not being able to put up with Sir Charles Warren’* military absurdities, has now been appointed Chief Commissioner. It seems to me that the old saying about letting the shoemaker stick to his last applies to both London and New Zealand. Sir Charles Warren was reckoned a very capable military officer, but has been found to be entirely out of place at the head of the London police. And it is quite possible that Captain Hume may be a good colonel of volunteers; but I think the p.iblic have come to tho conclusion that he has been a failure as Inspector of Prisons.—l am, etc., One Who Knows. Dunedin, December 7.