THE PRISON SYSTEM

Southland Times, Issue 16784, 12 July 1911, Page 2

THE PRISON SYSTEM

MB W. W. COLLINS’S IDEAS. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. July 10. Some new fight was to-day thrown on the allegations made by Comrade Cook regarding Lyttelton Gaol. .Mr W. W. Collins, who for fifteen years has been visiting justice at Lyttelton, has made a study of prison reform and Is strongly of opinion that the whole system should be directed towards the reformation of the prisoner. He does not defend, and Indeed he Is against, ttie present system. He said, however, there were statements made by Comrade Cooke which were absolutely Incorrect. It was untrue that the barbarous punishment of solitary confinement In a dark cell was one of the punishments meted out at Lyttelton. There was no such thing as a dark cell and no such punishment as solitary confinement. A man might be confined to his cell for a gross breach of prison discipline. He would be deprived of his night light and also of his tobacco. The confinement, however, could not be described as "solitary.” The man had to be allowed out to the exercise yard every day. The punishment, aa he had said, was not Inflicted unless for exceedingly §erlous 'reaches of discipline. It was ibsolutely incorrect to say that vlsltng justices based their punishment on the recommendation of the gaoler. A man charged with an offence had a trial just as he would before a Court, and he was entitled to call witnesses. It sometimes happened that: the gaoler would ask tnat leniency be observed towards a man who had committed an offence, on the ground that his previous conduct had been good. Comrade Cooke’s detailed description of a man suffering from pleurisy being put into a dark and solitary cell was next touched on. Mr Collins said that the cell was not dark or solitary and was not even in the punishment yard. The man was put into a cell at his own particular request, as he wished to be in a place where he would get quietness, and be able to sleep better than he would In his own cell. Mr Collins sympathised with Comrade Cooke’s condemnation of lack of classification. He considered it absolutely wrong that first offenders should have to associate with hardened criminals. It was wrong that Comrade Cooke, whose offence was not a crime, should have to associate with criminals. Classification. however, would not be possible until the Government dealt more generously with the Prison Department. In some general observations, Mr Collins said that it was incorrect to say that twenty per cent, of the prisoners were suffering from bronchial troubles. The men were well fed with meat and vegetables. The food men got in gaol was better than many of them got when they were out. The prison system had no terrors for the criminal. He had never once daring his fifteen years’ experience heard a complaint as to insufficiency of blankets. He agreed that there was modi to do in reform of the prison system. Lights in the prison cells went out at S p.m. and made the nights very long. Something should be devised to enable the prisoners to spend their spare time in self-improve-ments. Their nights might be brightened up by self-instruction.