Our Prison System.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3463, 8 July 1899, Page 3

Our Prison System.

Wellington, July 7. Lieutenant-Colonel Hume, who has just returned from a visit to the Australian colonies, states that though his mission was not an official one, hut made principally with tho object of gaining personal information, it was on tha whole attended with satisfactory results. While he was able to acquire some valvable knowledge as to details he saw nothing which led him to the conclusion that it would be necessary to remodel our own prison system in any department. Colonel Hume says that there is no prejudice in the sister colonies such as exists in these islands against the employment of prison labor in the prose cutiou of needed public works whichothor wise could not be undertaken. The result is that frequently undertakings of great value to the community are economically carried out by prison labor. Ha sub scribes to the suggestions that it is beneficial to prisoners to bo given an opportunity of interesting themselves iu labor of this kind and far preferable to keeping them penned up at sedentary occupations or restricted to work of unvarying sameness.