PRISON REFORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14144, 20 August 1909, Page 6

PRISON REFORM.

THE FARM SCHEME.

ARRANGING PRELIMINARIES.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Thursday. Speaking on the subject of prison reform, the Minister for Justice (the Hon. Dr. Findlay) said that all possible steps are being taken to carry into operation the scheme already outlined by him. The difficulty was that so far the right man had not been obtainable for the post of manager of the prison farm. The qualities required in a person appointed to such a position were numerous and varied, and not easy to discover in one individual, but the Minister has hopes that he will be able to get the right man shortly. Meanwhile arrangements are being made for the carrying out of the necessary preliminaries. The Rev. J. Kayll and Dr. Hay have already visited several of the gaols, with the object of reporting to the Minister on the subject of the classification both of prisons and prisoners, and will later, with their report, recommend as the result of their observations which prisoners shall be sent to the prison farm. As the first subject of the scheme of reform, the Minister expressed himself as very well pleased with the work at present being done by the Rev. J. Kayll, and is hopeful, from present indications, of the success of the scheme. The farm consists of about 100 acres of Crown land at Tokanui, near Kihikihi, adjacent to the North Island Main Trunk railway. It is covered with scrub, and the land is capable of being improved by cultivation. The single huts, which are now being constructed for use at the tree-planting camps, will be sent for the accommodation of the first batch of men to be sent there shortly to make the necessary clearings, and prepare the way for the main body.