PRISON REFORM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7654, 30 August 1886, Page 2

PRISON REFORM.

(Pee United Peess Association.)

Inveecaegill, August 2S,

At the Supreme Court this morning, before Mr Justice Johnston, four boys, from thirteen to sixteen years of age, who pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the Leviathan Gift' Depot and stealing goods therefrom, were brought up for sentence. The Judge said he had communicated with the Wellington authorities to ascertain the provisions of the act passed last session regarding first offenders, and he found that he had power to release a person convicted for a first time if he thought fit; but he did not consider that a proper course in this case, as it was a very serious thing to find boys of respectable parents committing such brazen-faced, impudent offences. If boys of the age of accused were to go unpunished, the danger was that the rising community would get corrupted. With regard to the period of sentence he had very great difficulty, because the prisons Of the colony were not yet in anything like the condition they ought to be in respect of classification; without which judges, in passing sentence, hardly knew what they were doing. Notwithstanding all the efforts made, no system of classification approaching perfection had yet been introduced. The reason was that this would cost money, ancl the people who had the power of dealing with the matter—the Legislature—did not consider it necessary to find funds for complete classification of prisoners; therefore the judges had very serious difficulty in the administration of justice. He learnt'that it was possible for the Invercargill gaoler to be able to keep boys apart, and it was only under tliose circumstances that he cared to pass sentence. Had adults committed the offence they would deserve a considerable period of penal servitude. Morecombe and Pomeroy, previously convicted, would be sentenced to six months' hard labour; Rodgers and Asprey, iirst offenders, to three months' hard labour. Those sentences were as light as he dare pass.