MR. JUSTICE RICHMOND ON THE CENTRAL PRISON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5882, 7 October 1885, Page 2

MR. JUSTICE RICHMOND ON THE CENTRAL PRISON.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.

At the Supreme Court, Wellington, on Tuesday, in referring lo the central prison which is being erected on Mount Cook, one of the most prominent positions in Wellington, Mr. Justice Richmond said it was a perfect wonder to him that it should be erected there, and he viewed it with disgust. He deprecated that view or! penal discipline which confined men within such limitp, and his own view was that it could not be carried out within ouch narrow limits. He had no hesitation in saying that he looked upon the erection of this building with absolute disgust. He did not know what tha authorities thought, but it seemed to him tenible to place a largo penal institution in the midst of a large city, and thus put crime in such a prominent position. He did not know what the Te Aro people thought about it, but he would be very sorry to live under the walls of a gaol all his life. The main thing he regretted in regard to the gaol itself wasthe want of room, and tho want of power of classification which room gave. The want of roocn made it, to his mind, inhuman to confine persons for life. Prisoners ought to bo able to rise by good coudust to some of the comforts of existence, ami that might bo managed if penal establishments were on a sufficiently extensive scale.