CORRESPONDENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1930, Page 10

CORRESPONDENCE

INTERNATIONAL RENAL CONGRESS y (i’o the Editor). ■’ Sir,—As His Excellency has reminded us, wa have special need in this country to avoid as far as possible the ills of insularity; but we do not always get all the news from abroad that we shouldThere has been no word, so far, in our papers of the important international congress mentioned above, which took place in Prague last August, and therefore your readers may be interested in reading some of its recommendations, as reported in the London Spectator for September 6 of this year. The congress “welcomed the probation system, where it is safeguarded by adequate observation of the delinquent, and the insistence, where necessary, upon certain .conditions. It recognised that the security of safety will be best achieved by making the penalty imposed the means of educating the prisoner, morally, intellectually and physically, and tliat, in order to attain this, it will be necessary 'for prison officials to be se-lected-for their ability as teachers and influencers of those in. their charge, which in its turn will necessitate the special training of candidates for these posts and their adequate 'remuneration.” Further,, it recognised the need of these officials being aided in their duties by unofficial workers, “chosen for their personal qualities of mind and heart,” It was likewise agreed that a .portion of a prisoner’s , penitentiary treatment should be his treatment for a certain time after his release, and that his sentence ' should be only partly served in prison and should include a period on parole. On the treatment of the juvenile offender, it recommended “the early use of scientific knowledge in coming to a decision as how best to train such offender wisely and well.” The League of Nations has now invited suggestions both from the International Penal Commission and the Howard ’ League for Penal Reform’ towards some international standards onthis important matter.,Our New Zealand branch of the latter, body has already, from time to time, put forward recommendations entirely in agreement with those given, above, and we are glad to fei'l that in a matter so important as the protection of society through the prevention of crime and.the right treatment of delinquents we are now proved to be neither insular in outlook, out-of-date in ideas, nor extravagant in the reforms we urge.—l. am, etc., ' ROBERT M. LAING, ' Chairman of the Executive, N.Z. Howard League for Penal Reform,