"UP-TO-DATE" PRISONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13780, 19 June 1908, Page 6

"UP-TO-DATE" PRISONS.

THE DUMGREE CAMP. MR.. McGOWAN QUESTIONED. STARTLING STATEMENTS. [b'VV TELEGRAPH.-*- COKRESZ'OXDENT.] ' Wellington, Thursday. " Ex-Prisoner," in a letter to the press, replies as fellows to the Hon. J. Mc-Govi-an's statement with regard to the Damgree camp revelations: —.. "With reference to the statement regarding tree-planting prisoners, I beg leave to ask from the Hon. J. McGowan a reply to the following questions:—How was- it that, during a sentence of three years' hard labour, a certain prisoner never once saw the Minister for Justice, and yet had com-, plied with the prison rules, and even got a. justice of the peace to communicate to him that the prisoner wished to sea him? Did not- a prisoner sell a padlock, hammer, etc., belonging to Mr. ——. clerk of Government works? A prisoner escaped outof the solitary cell, and was arrested some months afterwards at Dannevirke for housebreaking, and duly received his sentence at Napier, but .•■ ho was never charged before the s open Court with escaping from the solitary cells, which are underground in the centre of the prison at the Terrace. Why? Another prisoner escaped from a prison, got-'over to Australia, was arrested some time afterwards, brought, hack, received six months* imprisonment, but never did a day of it. Mr. Taylor, then M.P., also received a letter, written by a prisoner, unknown to the authorities, and immediately returned it to the late* Mr. McGarvey. Colonel Hume saw the,said prisoner at the Terrace prison, and informed him he had done wrong regarding this letter. Then, why did not the officials have the prisoner punished before the open Court, or before a visiting justice?

"Were not spurious half-crowns made at Mount Cook? A warder was caught redhanded trafficking with prisoners, but was never' charged before the open Court. What was the reason? How is it Colonel Hume visited H.M. prison on three occasions, and a' prisoner was not allowed to see him, and yet the prisoner complied with the rules by giving in his name to the- gaoler, and gave it iu the presence of a visiting justice? Mr. Edward Arnold, visiting justice, communicated with Colonel Hume on behalf of a prisoner, who wished to see him; and Colonel Hume replied, 'Let prisoner comply with the prison rules, and I shall see him.' The prisoner complied with <he rules by having reported to the gaoler that he wished to see Colonel Hume, and yet did not see him. Did Colonel Hume know of a prisoner who repeatedly broke the prison rules, with the object of being brought before the Court, and was the said prisoner punished on any one occasion? A prisoner some time ago made a statement in New Plymouth Gaol concerning what lie had done in the way of coining at Mount Cook, but has never been punished for it. Did Colonel Hume inform a prisoner at the Terrace prison that he had broken the rules while over at Dumgreo? Did prisoner admit it was perfectly true, and not deny that lie was seen out of Seddon, and did Colonel Hume never have the prisoner punished? Roughly, 15 or more prisoners were returned from Dumgree for breaking the rules, but were never charged before the open Court. The Hon. J. MeGowan states that prisoners will say anything, especially if they have been' returned from the treeplanting camps for bad conduct. ■■'■ A prisoner admits having broken the rules, having been caught out of camp posting letters, stealing from rabbiters' tents, and that he asked to be taken before the; Court, and yet the authorities would not do it. " Knowing so much as I do of the tveeplanting at Dumgree, and the carrying on, I would at any time prefer the Ten-ace prison. Cringe in the prison and you are all right, but speak out your mind and you will be treated like a dog. In conclusion, if 1 can get sufficient funds to pay for the hire of a hall. I will be only too pleased to meet Colonel Home and the Hon. J. MeGowan, and stats to the audience how + he prisons are run. lam not afraid to speak the truth about the prisons." -