TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4740, 23 August 1902, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

A correspondence that has recently taken place between Mr

PRISON’ RATIONS.

W. G. Tustin, J.P., and the Department of Justice shoirs in a strong light the

need tha€ exists for reform in prison administration in this country and the serious obstacles that bar the path of the reformer. In a lucid and temperate letter, Mr Tustin drew attention to the utterly inadequate dietary scale provided for prisoners awaiting trial, and the disgustingly insanitary and inhumane treatment of these prisoners by the locking of them up, sometimes three in one cell, for seventeen hours daily, viz., from 4 p.m. till 9 a.m. The official reply practically ignores the sanitary question, which is the more important of the two. The Justice Department has virtually admitted that the

Terraco Prison is deficient in accommodation and conveniences, by undertaking extensive additions and improvements; but surely in the meantime something might be done, or attempted, to mitigate the shocking treatment meted out to persons who presumably, and in some cases actually, are innocent of any offence. The people of New Zealand cannot approve of such barbarous inbumajiity, and their representatives now in session ought to insist upon an alteration being made in this practice towards unconvictcd prisoners, which doubtless prevails in all New Zealand prisons. On the question of the dietaryscale, the official responsible for it does not directly defend it, but merely remarks that it was “ framed as the outcome of long departmental and medical experience,” with an addendum to the effect that mere outsiders are not competent to judge of what is sufficient food for a healthy- man. Now, it requires neither medical nor departmental experience to settle a question of this kind. Anyone can judge for himself what kind of condition ho would bo in were be forced to subsist on eight ounces of potatoes, six ounces of meat and 'twenty ounces of dry- bread per diem, with two mugs of milkless tea to wash them down. If it wore convicted and hardened criminals who were thus treated, there would be less cause of complaint; but when the horrors of semi-starvation and close confinment under the most shocking conditions are meted out to untried prisoners, it is time to enter a horrified protest. The Minister of Justice has promised to give the subject “careful consideration,” and we are sure ho will keep his word. Will he also make his consideration prompt, and follow it up by vigorous action?

The Sovenoaks election contest is being

fought on the Education

EDUCATION IN ENGLAND.

VIA juuuww.wx* Bill now before the Imperial Parliament; and the great importance attached to that measure, and the

to twat. measure, anu iuu feeling evoked by it, are signs of bow far our Some brethren arc from solving the educational problem. With our splendid free and secular system of education in this country, we are prone to forget that in England denominationalism still holds sway. Of five and a half millions of children in tho elementary schools of England and AVales, throe millions are in the voluntary schools, and two and a half in the Board schools. The measure now before-Parliament proposes to bring all the elementary schools under one authority, subject them ad to the same system of inspection, and give them all the same support from tho rates. This plan of “ concurrent endowment ” is repugnant to “ the Nonconformist conscience.’* The dissenting element is satisfied with the Board schools, and objects to granting public money in any shape to schools controlled (as the majority of the voluntary day schools are) by the clergy of the Church of England. In this the Nonconformists show deplorable .narrowmindedness and shortness of vision, for it seems to us that the passage of the Bill wotild be the first step towards the secularising of elementary education in England. Tho Government Bill proposes to abolish existing School Boards, and to vest the control of the schools in County and Borough Councils—not only tho Board schools, but all the voluntary elementary schools in the country. Should the Government suffer a defeat in the Sevenoaks election, the Bill will doubtless be doomed; but if the result is otherwise, the measure, despite its infringement of the “rights of conscience,” may have a chance of reaching the experimental stage.

All who are interested in the food supn C 4-1-ia nannla Will llOflr.

ply of the people will hearottb tily pray for the success fish of the Hikuraki Fisheries supply. and Electrical Power Com-

pany, Limited, now in process of being formed in Wellington. So far as the projected company proposes to deal wim fish supply its business would bo on an absolutely sound footing. The quality of the fish procurable in Pelorus Sound and its vicinity is well known to be of the best, and the Chief Inspector of Fisheries has, in reply to inquiries, written about the “ quantities of fish available,” these being “ truly enormous.” To purchase the finny denizens of fho fishermen, subject them to the refrigerating process and dispose of them to suit the demand, is a project that commends itself as prudent, involving the minimum of risk. The site secured for the company’s works at Hikuraki is within easy distance by sea from Wellington, .Christchurch, Nelson, Blenheim and the populous towns of the West Coast. No one requires to be told that the population embraced in these cities and towns would consume large quantities of fish, if a regular supply at moderate prices were ensured. This part of the company’s proposals wo should therefore like to see realised. Of the other and greater scheme for developing electrical energy and founding an industrial centre at Hikuraki we cannot pretend to speak with any authority. Hydraulically-generated electricity seems, however, destined to revolutionise the industrial world, and New Zealand is exceptionally well endowed with the means for generating electrical energy. The Hikuraki scheme, if realised, would give a great impetus to manufacturing enterprise. It remains for the investing public to show their faith in the project, and no doubt there is sufficient enterprise among the Wellington and Marlborough people to carry it to a successful issue.