THROUGH HOLLOWAY GAOL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 13, 28 December 1911, Page 8

THROUGH HOLLOWAY GAOL.

MilS ANSBLL’S IMPIUOSSIOXS. Mrs A. Ansell, the energetic secretary of tlie Society for the Protection of Women and Children, contrived, dining a recent holiday in England, to inspect Holloway Gaol, which is one of the most notable prisons for women in the Old Country. Her official secretarial position, hacked by accrediting letters, found her the ear of those in high place on the Prisons Commission, and she was given every opportunity of studying the system, which specially interested her as a member of the Industrial and Prisons ityform Society. “Holloway Prison,” she said to our representative this morning, “with its dot) female inmates, varying from 50 years of ago to It! years of ago, gave one the impression of a large manufactory rattier than a prison. In a clean and airy corridor some of the prisoners were making mail bags; in die sen ing room over 50 women were making suits for the boys in tiie Navy; elsewhere another batch were making all kinds of underclothing for men and women; and, further on, door and window shades were rapidly assuming shape under the deft fingers of the girls. But it was in the laundry that one received the most vivid impression of harmonious industry. Every convenience for quick and healthy work was provided, and fully 150 wore at it, washing, ironing, and folding.” “Is the work paid for?”—“It is. The articles made and washed are all for Government workers and officials, so that the prison is self-supporting. in New Zealand we keep the prisoner, aye, and his family too, for almost invariably charitable aid funds have to bo iis-.vd to help the wife and family of a man committed to prison.” One of the things which struck Mrs Ansel! most forcibly was the number cf epileptics in this prison, many of them under control for attempting suicide. These she found very well eared for and housed in comfortable cells. The prison had a staff of hi) trained nurses, with twelve always under training to fill vacancies. “Most interesting, too, she continued, “was the creche for babies. One of these was only one hour old, and fifteen were under six months. When I saw them they wore all in a tc+it on the l.uvn, and it reminded me very much of the system in. Karetane. Some of the little ones are allowed to sice]) with their mothers in the cells at nignt, and are very comfortable there.” After the inspection Mrs Ansell had a long talk with Mr Waller, the secretary of the Prisons Commissions. Ho asked her if it was possible for some understanding to bo arrived at between ber society and the Church Army whereby girls who had made a mistake, and' yet were not vicious or lit inmates for a prison, might be removed under Iho care of the society, and given an opportunity away from the scene of their misfortune. Mrs Ansell replied that she could not say how the society would consider such a - proposal. But even assuming that they would entertain it, the strictest scrutiny of the circumstances of each case and the antecedents of the girls would lie demanded, for the people of New Zealand were strongly opposed to.the introduction of “undesirables” into the Dominion,! To ,which Mr Whller replied that he referred to occasional cases in which girls of no vice had been pushed into sin. About the work of the Church Army —an Anglican organisation, which in some waji goes farther than the Salvation Army—Mrs .Ansell was most enthusiastic. “I think,” she said, .“that there is one branch of it which might well bo adapted to the colonies. 1 mean the system of providing cubicles for girls who .come from the country to get work, in service or otherwise. Bed and breakfast might be provided for a nominal sum, and the girls assisted in their, search for places, in cases of necessity, of course, girls would bo taken in, and the small payment deferred until they had obtained their situations,” There were many institutions which Mrs Ansell had to leave unexamined, two unfortunate family bereavements filching her of both time and heart to prosecute inquiries.