DOWN IN THE DUNGEONS AGAIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 32, 30 April 1927, Page 1

DOWN IN THE DUNGEONS AGAIN

SUPREME COURT CELLS ARE RELIC OF DARK AGES In the basement of the Auckland Supreme Court building there are three cells in which prisoners awaiting sentence or trial are closeted. They are narrow, ill-lighted places containing a form —the only semblance of furniture —a high, heavily-barred window and a cold, dreary atmosphere. These cells were described by a leading solicitor of Auckland as being “mediaeval dungeons, a barabarism of the present day.” That description does not fall short of the exact nature of these places. They face the east and receive the morning sun. but however hot may be the day, the atmosphere in these cells never changes—cold, depressing, and wholly unsuitable in this age of reform. The cells are reached by a long, dark passage that brings memories of childhood stories of the Spanish Inquisition. Each cell, not more than 20ft. long by about sft. wide, contains a form. The stone walls have been white-washed, but that does not hide the ugliness of the places. The slit—it is scarcely a window—set high at the end of the cell, is heavily barred and admits but a gleam of light. One can feel the chill of the air even though the day be sultry and it is here, in the dreary sombrencss of the cells, that men must sit through the hours of mental torture as they wait to take their stand in the dock. The surroundings could not but have a bad effect on the minds of these unfortunates. And as one inscription on the wall reads: “I entered here hopefully, but I leave hopeless: this cell is a ghastly dungeon.” That speaks of the mind of ond man who spent a few hours of waiting. The man v. ■ . is not a criminal is placed among the hardened sinners. There is no distinction; the prisoners are placed together and the criminal element is allowed to get among those who have merely made a mistake. For some time attempts have been made to have the cells altered, hut. as Mr. Justice Stringer said to-day, “The Public Works Department is very slow. The cells should be altered to a great extent.” On the walls of the cells is scrawled the ns.mes of the prisoners; the charges to be preferred, the sentence received, crude ditties, plentifully interspersed with expletives and obscenities. There are a so rough sketches, names of racehorses, cun winners and football results. The cells are redolent of crime and despair and in this enlightened age can only be regarded as brutal anachronisms striking at the roots of our modern system of justice.