BORSTAL INSTITUTION

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1930, Page 9

BORSTAL INSTITUTION

COMPLAINT BY MR. HOWARD "PRISON ATMOSPHERE” DISLIKED. MEMBERS DEFEND THE SYSTEM. By Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. When. consideration ... of . the . Prisons Department estimate was continued in the House of Representatives .to-day Mr. E. J. Howard again referred to the Borstal Institution in Invercargill. He said he did not wish it to- be thought that he was complainingagainst the' superintendent- or anyone connected with the administration of the institution. What he regretted was that there had been a departure from the original ideal of the Borstal system. He did not know who was-to blame for that; possibly it was.Rarrj liament’itself. . . J';. Mr. J. G.’Coates'- said the New Zealand Borstal ’system compared favourably with any institution of the kind in the world. He thought Mr. Howard would agree that it was essential to maintain discipline. He contended that the treatment of the boys at Invercargill was on the right footing. He admitted that the type of building was not perfect, but it would be wise to hesitate, he said, before expending a large sum on alterations at the present time. Mr. D. McDougall said the boys in the institution were quite contented. He mentioned that they had one of the best football teams at Invercargill. Mr. Howard repeated that it was the. prison atmosphere attached to the. institution to which he objected. Replyinor, the Minister said the de-partment.-regarded the Invercargill Bor*etal institution as one of its great sue; cesses. The ;boys were taught farming and attended classes in agriculture and physical and social education as well as lectures in economics and other subjects. Besides, ; .a good football, team there fine cricket' eleven. \He ; added tHat'-ef-the boys'.who had gone' throughwtW institution less than 10 per cent, ever appeared before the Court again, compared with 35 per cent, in England. The vote was passed.