BORSTAL INMATES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19621, 16 October 1933, Page 9

BORSTAL INMATES

' INSTITUTE CRITICISED. By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, October 13. The Rev. K. D. Andrews-Baxter, of Gladstone, referred at the Anglican Synod to the treatment of inmates in the Borstal at Invercargill. He said the institution was under the wrong department. The officers were prison-trained men. Whereas a man was sentenced to three months for the theft of a watch, a boy for the same offence was sentenced to three years Borstal, because the Magistrate thought it was a training school, but really they were sentencing the boys to three years in prison. In the case of a boy being given solitary confinement, everything was taken from the cell in the morning except a wire mattress and a Bible. That was all he had till 10 p.m. He must learn to hate the Bible. The cells were badly ventilated, with no winter heating. This form of punishment might last from one to <ix days. It was barbarous to treat boys so. The speaker stated that he had been plainly told a chaplain would not be appointed. It was resolved to appoint a Commission to report on the need for better spiritual ministration In Government institutions.