“HOT SO BAD”

Evening Star, Issue 19270, 8 June 1926, Page 10

“HOT SO BAD”

A GAOLER’S LIFE Mr J. C. Scanlon, governor of the Terrace Gaol, Wellington, is retiring after a period of service of thirty-eight years. Mr Scanlon, who was a coachbuilder by trade, learned his business in the factor}’ of the late Mr Michael Bohan, on the corner of Manners street and Farish street, whore he developed qualities which he found of inestimable value as a gaoler. He entered the service of the Prisons Department in 1888 as a warder, and thirteen years later be was promoted to be gaoler of the Waiotapu prison camp at Rotorua, the first tree planting camp in this part of the world, and the real beginning of prison reform in New Zealand. “For the first time in prison life in this country we not only deprived the warders of their arms, but we allowed the prisoners to work out of sight,” said Mr Scanlon in an interview in Wellington. “ There were no guns and no parading sentry, and all that business. It was such n, help to tho men, and so reacted on their self-esteem that’we never had any trouble with them at Waiotapu. They always worked well, and now there is a forest of trees 40ft in height where we worked —not at all unhappily.” “And'the life of a gaoler?” “ Not so bad, but very monotonous to anyone without a sense of humor,” said_ Mr Scanlon. “I remember one Christmas when we were at WiSftt'apu ILe Falloonas, of Waiwera House, made the _ warders and myself an immense Christmas pudding bigger than ten hungry men could cat, and rang us up to toil us that it would be left in the box at the cross roads, where wo generally picked up our stores for the camp. But that day was a holiday— I think it was Christmas Eve —and Vo let tho prisoners have a day off, and they scampered round the country chasing hares and playing round, as hoys will, with a couple of warders with them. After a good chase round they came to the cross road, and, being hungry, began to rummage the box. They soon found tho big plum pudding, and in a short time they had eaten it, although the warders protested. “ Later they all returned to the camp, and one of the warders, a little hit down in tho month, confessed to what had occurred—tho loss of my beautiful pudding. “‘Why didn’t you stop them?’ 1 inquired, pretending to be stern. “ ‘ Stop them!’ said lie. ‘ How could I?- They were hungry—and it was a groat pudding.’ “ ‘ How do you know it was?’ “ ‘ Weil, they offered me a hit!’ “The warder then asked me how I was going to punish them, and I had to roar with laughter. Punish them P It was Christmas time, and they wero hungry, and it was a. good pudding. Not me! I’ve often had a. good laugh over that.” Mr Scanlon was first appointed head gaoler in Wellington in 1901, but later was transferred to the now demolished Lyttelton Gaol. He was appointed governor of the Terrace Gaol in 1908, and has hold that position ever since..

As an indication of how salaries have advanced in the Prisons Department, Mr Scanlon said that when he was appointed to take charge of the Waiotapu camp and during his stay there his salary was £l6O a year, out of which ho had to buy his own food. To-day, when a man enters the service as a, warder, his salary commences at £2lO a year. *