New Zealand Prison Service.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12281, 13 June 1903, Page 2

New Zealand Prison Service.

A FEW DETAILS. OFFICERS' DUTIES.

(By "Eufus Dawes.")

The prison service of the colony- is one that docs pot come a, great deaf | under the notice of the public, and a i little information as to the duties* of -officers and prisoners,' and the daily routine of work should prove of some, interest. ' ~ The prison is opened for\ work at 5.30 a.m. during the summer mdnths, namely from' September, to < April, and., breakfast is served at 6 a.m. About ! 6.50 a.m. ■ the prison* is unlocked .for i the labour of the day, and the prisonI ers are marched to labour; about 7 [.a.m. The prisoners are marched back to- the gaol at noon and dinner is served, ajid the prison is- ag"ain unlocked for labour at 1 p.m. The pris-. oners, under a new regulation, are per- , mitted to smoke during- the lunch I hour for 15 minutes, and they "blow | the blotad" from .day pipes, no other sort being allowed. When "smoke oh" time is up the prisoners are paraded, all the clay dhudeens are collected, and put away in* a receptacle, and the prisoners are again inarched to labour, and return at (5 p:m., when tea is served, and the prisoners are then locked up till 6 a.mi the day, when the same routine is gone through. It will be observed that indulgence in the fragrant weed is only allowed during the mid^day recess. The prisoners- are unlocked at 6 a.m., but the cooks and cleaners. are let out at 5.30 a.m., and everything is put in good order for 'the 'day. The officers who look after the prisoners, have none too 'good a time. , The long duty, officer comes on duty every morning in turn at 6 . a.m., having ' already breakfasted, and he remains on duty until noon before ,he gets anything further to eat, which is certainly a long fast. The cell doors of the prisoners' are, finally > locked' for the night at 7.30f p.m., the lights 1 ' are put out, and the muster handed into the gaoler. .-» , . Prisoners are :- supplied with; one. oz of tobacco on Saturdays, that is . .to say -.those who are. .serving sentences of three months and over, a^id' committed to hard labour, - providing of course that "their conduct is good, and they are industrious. . The ration for each prisoner is :-r Bread, 28oz; meat, 12oz ; potatoes lib; 1 pint of soup ; vegetables 2oz ; p,epper and salt provided. . . Prisoners are .bathed and' hair and) beard cut close every week, and theyare then Supplied with clean clothing, j They may be supplied with extra rations according to the recommenda^ tion of the prison surgeon visits the prison daily and attends to all sick prisoners. " ~ j It will thus be seen that the. prisoners are well' cared for. The officers,' however, who have, to look after the prisoners have 'a trying time considering the long hours of duty, and the fact that 'they are out with their charges in all kinds of weather. Then again the pay is not in proportion to the long, hours of duty. The following table will explain the officer's hours on long duty— - From 5.30 to noon, 6£ hours. From Ip.m. to 5 p.m., 4 hours. From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., 4 hours. ■ A total of 14£ hours. l " - This indicates jthaVthe Goyeripaent does not practice the eight hour sysr tcm in the prison department^ t This long duty is performed by each officer 12 or 13 days in each inonthi The hours during the balance of~_the month, some 18 days, average abdut. 9 hours. This would make thi? total number of hours for a 30 days month^ 330 hours, or an average of a.7 bout 11 per day. . The officers suffer under another hardship. Should an officer be laid up the number of; days he is so in^, capacitated for duty are deducted from his fifteen days' annual leave., This power is entrusted , to the gaolers of the prisons, and it is imderstood that the 'majority of them put it int6 operation if any opportunity arises. If" an. officer can produce, a medioail certificate as to his ailment it seems hard lines that he should have h^ leave shortened because > of circumstances over which he has no control, With regard to the winter months, that is during May, June, July, and August the prisoners proceed jto-iab-' ouir N at 8 instead of 7 a.m., and cease labour at 4 instead of 5 p.m. If the officers went on duty at 8 «,.m. and ceased at o p.m. it would be a reasonable thing, but unde* the. present conditions the hours of duty seem, to be too long. There / is-., certainly room'~for reform in the lot of the warder, x .-,"-;': -\f' '