HOW PRISONERS SPEND SUNDAY.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume VI, Issue 155, 18 May 1899, Page 2

HOW PRISONERS SPEND SUNDAY.

Few people cm form at all an adequate idea of what a " Sunday in prison " meaos. It may at once be said that as far as the tenents of Wormwood Scrubbs Prison aro concerned, there are thousands and thousands in the outside world who pass the day less pleasantly. Situated on a lofty elevation in a most healthy district, it must be, in many senses, a veritable treat to those prisoners who only pass about a fortnight within its walls. By the permission of the Prison Commissioners, in company with a few others, I was allowed on Sunday (writes an " Echo " contributor) to enter through the portals of this splendid building, to be present at the service in the chapel, and to examine " the male portion of the orison." Received by the Rev. A. W. Baldwin at the gate, we were introduced to Captain Price, the Governor, and late Governor of Knutsford Prison.

After passing through certain formalities in the Governor's room, we were taken by the Chaplin to the library. It is difficult to rind a better and rnore-carefully selected collection of books. It has recently been alleged that prisoners are only allowed a few tattered religious volumes. Whatever may be the case at any other prison, the thousands of volumes in Wormwood Scrubbs cover the arts, sciences, mathematics, classics, foreign languages, fiction, and general subjects. Among novels we observed the works of Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, Charlotte Yonge, Henty, Mrs. Henry Wood, Edna Ljall, Lever, &c, several copies of each, all being nicely bound. Of a different character were the histories of Froude, Hallam, and Macauley, but according to Mr. Baldwin, they were all in great demand. The books are taken about to the different cells by six schoolmasters and two schoolmistresses, and the prisoners are then allowed to select what they want to read. The prisoner's education is not neglected. About 500 now receive individual lessons of twenty minutes' duration twice daily. Prom the library we passed on to the chapel, being accommodated with seats near the Go vernor in the gallery. The prisoners sat in rows below us, and, although we could not see their faces, it was a wonderful sight—some 800 men in the drab prison dress,taking such v hearty, part in the service. They were exceedingly attentive, their singing to the accompaniment of the organ being of an excellent character. Their good conduct and attention during the service was a high testimony to the chaplain. The choir consisted of 18 " star " men, or first offenders, who were trained twice weekly by Mr. Baldwin himself. Recidivists are seated in the nave on the right, first offenders are placed on the left Both classes are carefully watched by warders on the two sides, and by a row facing them on small stages in the centre. After the service we saw them all filing out into their respective cells. We are bound to say that Mr. Baldwin is an ideal chaplain. Bluff and breezy, he is exceedingly popular among both officials and warders. Ho has held his present position some five years, and has besides rilled the chaplaincies of the prisons at York, Hull, and Portsmouth. During his long experience he has ministered to the needs of no fewer than 160,000 prisoners. After the service he took us round the prison. Large and spacious, it consists of four principal buildings of four storeys, with an average of 300 cells in each, The chief features of each department are cleanliness and a good provision of light. Each cell is exceedingly well lighted, by daylight from the outside, and artificial light m each particular cell. With books to read, the prisoners in the various cells we visited seemed to be well contented with their lot.

For the first month they sleep on plank beds, but they are supplied with three blankets and a rug, each blanket being double the width of the plank. At the end of a month they can earn the right to mattresses. The greatest hardship which they suffer during the first fortnight is in the matter of diet, the allowance being barely sufficient to keep the men alive; but as the second, third, and fourth classes are reached more is allowed. Geneially speaking, the diet <;.—.i*i»tH of -wholemeal bread, suet pudding, stir-about (a inixtuie of Indian and oat meals), and in the fourth class on Sunday 3oz. of cooked beef, without bones, is allowed. Tea and coffee are not allowed, except for invalids. Cocoa is allowed in the third and fourth stage. The prisoners' employment is very varied. Picking oakum is the work for the first stages, and to fill up the time in other stages all over one month are profitably employed at the various industries—e.g., gardening, mat-making, ropemaking, hammock-making, box-making, Xtc., &c. Flogging is rarely practised, but the crank is still in use. For the benefit of our inexperienced readerß we might say that the crank is a wheel with which 8,000 revolutions have to be made in a day.

In an interview with the Chaplain at his house we discussed some of the most important problems connected with our prison system. He condemned the crank as an abomination, and in his opinion there ought to be an improvement in the dietary arrangement of short-time prisoners. " The terrors of prison," he said,"should be kept outside." For that reason he thought that magistrates ought to be more lenient with tirst offenders. Children sent to prison formed a wrong impression of prison life, Being kept separate from other offenders, and treated with a consideration due to their tender yeais, they came to like their life, and hence when released Booner or later paid a si'concl visit. " Save the children, you save the nation." Those conducted round the prison on Sunday by Mr. Baldwin will not soon forgtt the interest which he displayed in the whole question of prison life.