PRISON MANAGEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17083, 15 August 1917, Page 7

PRISON MANAGEMENT

ME WEBB'S CRITICISM. (Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 14-. One of the reported statements of Mr P. C. Webb regarding happenings in Lyttelton Gaol was the subject of a question in the House this afternoon. Mr Isitt asked tho Minister of Justice whether he had noticed tho statement made by a member of the House that one of the old inmates of Lyttelton Gaol was sentenced to three months' solitary confinement for giving his crumbe to tho sparrows. He asked whether tho Minister would cause inquiries to bo made aa to the truth or falsity of this statement. Ihe Hon_ J. A. Hanan said that charges against prison management ought to be in tho House if they were to be mado at air. H he were to notice all criticisms made against tho Prisons Department h ; s labours in this respect would bo endless. Mr Isitt: It was mado by a member of this House. Mr T. W. Rhodes: It was not made here. Mr Hanan said that if a definite charge was made in the House or submitted.to him m writing he would act, but until this was done he did not feel called upon to act. Mr Isitt: The statement derogatory to the prison control was mado on a public platform. Mr Hanan said he would wait until the honourable gentleman mado his criticisms in the House, and then, so far as he could, he would reply to them.