THE HOWARD LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 19923, 20 July 1928, Page 10

THE HOWARD LEAGUE

DUNEDIN BRANCH Plio following report is tg be prented to a meeting of the Dunedin ranch ot the Howard League tor ,-nai Reform. The Dunedin branch of the Howard ■ague for Penal Rclorm has held a .umber of meetings, when several matrs relative to penal reform. were dealt ith. The local branch has decided u reorganise and consolidate its efforts, ml remove the misconception .which .ists concerning the aim and .object the league. The object of the league , non-sectarian ami non-political, aim . jirouioie the ngnt treatment ol ue ..qiioucy and the prevention of crime. 1, The development oi tho probation stein.

2. Tho classification ot delinquents. 3. The reform of criminal jurisdic--10 u • 4. The establishment of an elliciem ,-carc and after-care system. 5. i’hc scientific care and treatmeni : socially defective offenders, including ,ie feeble minded; and G, The education ol public opinio: Imu all matters pertaining to pena ~‘lorni.

When the object of the league is fully nderstood it is believed that many . ill sh ow their practical interest by be.lining members of the local branch. ,hanks are due to bliss B. E, Raughan or her untiring efforts and practical assistance at every opportunity. A ,reatly felt need has been supplied m He formation ol a dominion executive. the first conference was held in W'cl.ngtoii on March 26, 2d, and HO, when Dunedin was represented by tho Rev. E. Morelon. The conference proved an iiiujiialiiied success, the spirit ot it aemg throughout most harmonious. Discussion, under the chairmanship o. Air C. R. N. Mackie, of Christchurch, was, lively, earnest, and thorough, and idle full business was accomplished. To ■ach individual delegate the conference made known, in ihe most explicit fashion, how strong and friendly a ■‘hacking” for his or her own brunch can now bo counted on from every other; while to one and n.l it pro eel that tho league had already, here in Now Zealand, far more weight and power than was known, ind that tile road to every real national service lay now open before it. Nat a worn of “religion” was actually spoken at the conference; one delegate afterwards remarked, “ Yet everyone must have felt its spiritual force.” The proceedings were opened by an address by Mr E. .), Rolleston (Minister of'Justice), who emphasised tho fact that his department was actuated by tho spirit of cooperation with the, league, and all suggestions would be considered in tho same sincere and earnest spirit in Inch they were put forward. JJc .also observed that they had now advanced to a stage when it was realised that prison work is reformative and not punitive, that much had been done in that direction during the last two years, and that die department was endeavouring to improve on the valuable work dona by .Sir John Findlay, when the latter was Minister of Justie. Sir John Findlay himself, as president of tho Wellington branch, sent a message to the conference, pointing out the great need for work along the linos of theloague, especially in educating public opinion, stressing the cases of the hapless feebleminded, and ending; “Tho Howard League has in this and in other kindred directions set itself a great, useful, and unselfish task, and every tlioughtlul man and woman amongst us will give it a blessing.” Tho conference then proceeded to business, and decided to form the branches already existing, represented on a common body to be called tho New Zealand Howard League lor Renal Reform, and affiliated to tho parent Howard League lor Penal Reform in England. Officers of a Central Executive were elected a.s follows:—Patron, Lady Alice Fcrgusson; president, Sir John Findlay; vice-presidents—Archbishop Averill, Archbishop O’Shea, Messrs J. A. Young, M.P., and H. G. R. Mason, M.P., Misses Jean Begg and B. E. Baughan; secretary and treasurer, Mr A. J. Stratford, J.?.; committee—tho Revs. Jasper Caldcr and G. E. Moroton, bliss P. Hawley, Mr F. E. Moreton; Wellington “Vigilance Committee”—Mrs C. S. Young, Messrs E. Dowsott, ami A. W. Free _ Tho constitution was discussed and decided on, ami tho executive learnt with considerable satisfaction the advance made in the penal and prison systems during the last two years. A considerable number of remits was considered and adopted, including:—“The after-care of prisoners.” “the classification of prisoners,” “tho appointment of women police,” “ hard labour and reformative detention,” treatment of sick inmates of penal institutes,” and “the training of senior warders and matrons in first'aid to tho injured.” Tho Minister of Justice, Mr F. J. Rolleslon, has indicated “that, while the Government is sympathetic towards all reasonable proposals for tho improvement of prison conditions, _ the present financial stringency considerably hampers tho department in tho attainment of those objectives.”

This report would he incomplete if it did not refer to the splendid service rendered to the Dunedin branch by the hon. secretary, Mrs H. 15. Elder, and tho members of the local committee.