NEW ZEALAND PRISONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17711, 23 August 1919, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND PRISONS

CHRISTCHURCH CRITICISMS. VIEWS OF EXPERIENCED MEN. NO TRUTH IN ALLEGATIONS. (Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.} AUCKLAND, August 22. The allegations made against the New Zealand prison system by certain members of the Council of Churches in Christchurch were challenged by several prominent Auckland citizens conversant with prison conditions. The Rev. F. R. Jeffreys, speaking as a social worker, said he could express no opinion as regards the Napier Gaol, "but from what I know of the prison system generally during tho last fivo years," he said, "and of tho executive head of tho Prisons Department (Mr O. E. Matthews), 1 think that the men who have made these serious allegations have beer, listening to prisoners' stories, and have not had an opportunity of verifying them. They should know very well that all gaols are open for inspection by justices and official visitors, and if they had complaints to make they should have made them to the authorities. Knowing what I do of prison officials, 1 thmk the sweeping statements which have been made are very much exaggerated. Naturally, imprisonment is felt by prisoners and so it should bo. I devote a great deal of my time to keeping men, especially young offenders, out of gaol, but there are those who, in the interests of society, must be imprisoned, and if gaol became merely a comfortable boarding-house, as some would-be reformers seem, to desire, publio property would not be safe. I know that our prison authorities are trying by degree.-, to improve matters in every way possible, and during the last five years many improvements have been effected. Anyone familiar with the Mount Eden Gaol and the superintendent will, I am sure, readily admit that humane methods are adopted. The gaol hospital wil bear inspection at any time and a better-kept hospital ward will not be found ,n Auckland. All prisoners can have a daily smoke in their ceUs, and they have electric light-, until 9 n m if current can bo supplied. There is a prison library, and an evening school for juvenile inmates. A plentiful supply of hot water for a weekly bath is available, and the

To sum up, ' concluded Mr Jeffreys "a prisoner s life is to a great extent depend out upon his own conduct. If he tries to break discipline he suffers; but if con duct is good he can in all probability have his sentence considerably rnduced, and hb may be liberated on probation. I have nn sympathy whatever with these sudden out cr;os unless every other method, such as making representations to headquarters, has utterly* failed to produce reforms " A similar view was expressed'by Mr F. < r.' i i r- i ' "1= Justice at the ..cJand Gaol. "My duties as justice" said Mr Hunt, "ore to hear any complaints fr0! " prisoners or warders, who are always entitled to make them. I have tho rln-ht , ° g , ao J at a »y hour of the dav trmV li' a ? i. ? - eo P rls °ncM alone ;l, tnei. cells. I have interviewed very manv prisoners, and during my year's £rm "if office as visiting justice have had to inveHi g..lx only one complaint. That complaint • ", ot *p>nst treatment, and it was dismissed. Not one complaint food or treatment has been made to me jg* C"ds. or irons, or other such relics of savagery do not exist in New Zealand prisons. The institutions are not dens o InsfPr remembered that judges and maSrates now always choose imprisonment as a Men for whom there is th-% filigfhtcst chanco of rcdomobon * that chanco. Those to 2-a.ol are never simpletons mrl tIJ; , cannot always bo trusted." ' onl