TURNING OVER ANEW LEAF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14150, 27 August 1909, Page 6

TURNING OVER ANEW LEAF.

TROUBLES OF EX=PRISONERS.

ALLEGED POLICE INTERFERENCE.

A. statement in regard to the alleged interference by the police with ex-prisoners who are endeavouring to mend their ways and lead a reputable life was made befpre the Police Commission yesterday morning, by the Rev. E. C. Budd, Anglican chaplain to public institutions.

Mr. Budd said that men discharged from prison made frequent complaints of being interfered with when they were trying to live honestly and respectably. The committee of the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society had had this matter in hand, and it was believed that there were such cases of unnecessary and improper interference. For example, a discharged prisoner might obtain a situation and work in it for days or months, and an over-zealous constable or detective had gone to the employer and said, "Do you know that man ? Do you know his character He is — He only left prison on .", The result had been that the man had been turned adrift, and in anger and bitterness had again turned to evil courses. He believed that this sort of thing had happened again and again. The question of police supervision of discharged prisoners was admittedly a difficult and delicate matter. The professional criminal needed close watching, but if he showed a desire to lead an honest life ' he should be helped rather than hindered. In this connection he remarked that the Habitual Criminals Act was exercising a wholesome influence over a number of offenders, who, seeing the risks they ran, attempted to lead respectable and useful lives. He did not forget that ex-prisoners' statements were ex parte, but he was convinced that they were not always groundless. Two prisoners who were serving long sentences in Auckland to-day had declared that it was the daily following about and subsequent open interference of the police that had driven them to the committal of their last offences. Another man, whom witness had often assisted, had complained bitterly of being dogged by the police, and had committed suicide. The majority of the police did their duty faithfully and well, and, in many cases, often went out of their way to help men (as also did many prison warders), but some members of the force were indiscreet. Mr. Bishop (the Commissioner) said that there was .a great difference between a detective or constable keeping a person under necessary surveillance and going to his employer and informing him that the man had been in trouble. He would regard it as a very wrong thing for a member of the force to go to an employer in such a way. He' asked the witness to state specifically whether this had actually occurred. Mr. Budd instanced the case of a young man who, after serving several sentences, had obtained a situation at a leading hotel, but had been discharged in consequence of a constable going to the licensee and making a statement. In this case, of course, the young man, being in a position of trust, the action of the constable may have been perfectly justified from the police point of view. Mr. Bishop said that to do what Mr. Budd suggested had been done in regard to unnecessary interference would be very objectionable', and he did not believe that the Commissioner of Police or an inspector would be a party to the harassing of men who, after being in trouble, were trying to lead an honest life. Mr. Dinnie (to witness): Do you know of any definite cases? often come across ( cases, and I have two cases in mind now. The question of quoting names in connection with these two cases having been suggested, Mr. Bishop observed that if certain police officers were referred to by name as having interfered with ex-pri-soners it would not be likely to ingratiate the latter individuals with those particular members of the force. In reply to Inspector Cullen, Mr. Budd said that he (Mr. Cullen) had informed him that he strongly disapproved of what he alleged took place. The matter then dropped.