CANADIAN LETTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10301, 4 November 1911, Page 8

CANADIAN LETTER.

[From Our CoanusroNDEXT.] TORONTO. September 25. PRISON REFORM. The Government of Ontario about a year ago inaugurated a system which should prove a great advantage to the moral strength of tho community. A prison farm was opened at Guelph, Ontario, aski has'since been carried on with'great beneficial effect. A day or two ago the Premier of Ontario, Sir James Whitney, laid the cornerstone of the new Provincial Prison Farm, thus "biasing a. new trail in the progress of civilisation, as mio or the speakers remarked. Men who are serving short sentences are placed on the farm, and aro given different occupations, according to their ability. In addition to the various departments of farming there is a stone quarry worked by the men, wno have also built a narrow-gauge railway to bring the stone away from the quarry. They havo also mado excellent roads and paths, and have constructed a handsome stone bridge across the Speed River. The stone for the administration building, of which tho Premier laid the Corner-stone, was hewn out of the quarry by the prisoners themselves, and they had also built the foundation of the building. The prisoners aided in placing the corner-stone, two of them obviously skilful workmen, and it was curious to see the odd commingling of all sorts of people in the tlvrong —• statesmen, jurists, clergymen and prisoners. Luncheon was served to the guests in the trades room. Everything placed upon tho table was the product of the farm, and was entirely prepared and served by prisoners. After luncheon the Premier inspected an exhibit of fruits and vegetables, which called forth unstinted admiration on the part of several experts who accompanied the Premier. Both this exhibit and an expedition later on over the farm showed what splendid work had been done by the prisoners. FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY. In laying the corner-stone Sir Ja'mefi Whitney expressed, the object of the Government in. developing the institution in tho following words: —The idea is to ameliorate the conditions of those who have fallen. It is tho law of God and of every civilised nation that those guilty of crimes against society should suffer, just and necessary punishment. Yet it is due to humanity-—and to justice itself-—that there should be due regard by the State for the welfare of those whom it is called upon to punish, that when the offender has paid the penalty of his misdeed he should have thereafter to carry as slight a handicap as possible. This project is designed to prove that the public is prepared to extend a helping hand to its unfortunate friends who seek to regain lost ground. Mr .Justice Te-etzel, chairman of the Provincial Parole and Pardon Board, said that he believed that the whole plan was calculated to reclaim offenders, and that the institution had become curative as well as punitive. He urged the Government to take the further step of making some provision for looking after men after their release. It is interesting to read the report of a meeting held on the same day as the laying of the corner-stone. It was one of a series of meetings of tho Charities Conference, where the Warden of the Prison Farm reported that it was one of the chief objects of tho farm to give the prisoners plenty of fresh r.ir. They were usually, he declared, defective mentally, normally or physically, and fresh air was the best thing they could have. The desire was to get them out of the cell life. For his part, he belioved that a man who spent six months in a cell would never be tho same afterwards, and at Guelph the object was to substitute dormitories for cells wherever possible.

Following in the footsteps of the Provincial Government some of our larger cities are taking up the problem of overcrowded gaols and solving the difficulty by establishing farms, instead of enlarging the existing accommodation. Toronto has bought a farm of considerable size, and is using it chiefly for inebriates at present, but its scope will probably be extended to include all minor offenders. THE RETIRING GOVERNORGENERAL. Earl Grey will take his final clepartture from Canada on October 12, making way for our Royal Governor. His departure has been delayed ten days or more on account of the change of Governments, which it is hoped will be completed before that date. A fareswell banquet was tendered his Excellency by tho Canadian Club of Ottawa in the dining hall of the Houses of Parliament. The Prime Minister and Mr Borden were both present and botli joined in expressing what are probably the sentiments of the whole dominion towards the retiring Gover-nor-General. Sir Wilfrid Laurier declared that Earl Grey was a model constitutional ruler and that he was deservedly popular jn the dominion. Mr Borden followed with similar expressions of sentiment, and Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, Lord Chief Justice, in proposing his Excellency's health, said that he had not only been an exemplary representative of the Sovereign, but had also been to Canada a true guide, philosopher and friend. His Lordship paid an eloquent tribute to his Excellency's broad and constant sympathies with all things Canadian. His Excellency spoke for over an hour and displayed his usual characteristic of tact and a deep interest in Canadian affairs. He first of all congratulated us as ?, nation on having two such leaders as Sir Wilfrid Laurier anil Mr Borden. He said in part: '•' I do not believe that you could find either in this country or out of it two men who would hotter fulfil all the highest ideals of the word ' gentleman.' Their characters are examples to all Canada. Never during my whole term of office havo I heard ono word of selfish ambition from Sir AVilfrid Laurier. As leader of the Opposition ho will be the same great servant of the State and Crown that he has been as leader of the Government. Mr Borden will, I know, continue the hitth traditions of Sir Wilfrid. Your Canadians are happy and fortunate in having the destiny of your country in the "hands of such men." His Excellenoy showed once more his thorough familiarity with Canadian affairs m the various parts of his speech. He suggested cultivating a closer friendship with Newfoundland rather than the present attitude of mutual aloofness. Ho urged also the necessity of training tho character of children through the very best teachers whom money could buy, the thorough supervision of moving pictures to prevent evil influences on young minds, the careful sanitation of homes, and effective measures to prevent the curse of slums in the rapidlygrowing cities of the Dominion. Lord Grey declared that every moment of his life in Canada during the past seven years had been one of uninterrupted happiness. It is certainly fortunate that our next Governor-General is to bo the Duko of Connaught, for it would be difficult to find anyone else who would be so keenly interested in all Canadian affairs and who would throw himself into them in so whole-hearted a way as Lord Grey. He says that he expects to disregard the unwritten convention which keeps Governors-General from returning to Canada alter the expiration of their term of office, and hopes some day to revisit the Dominion by way of the Hudson Bay railway. GREAT RELIGIOUS CONFERENCES. Elaborate preparations are being , made hero for the meeting of tho Ecumenical Congress of the Methodist

Church next month. Representatives from all corners of the earth are coming together and many of tho delegates are planning extensive tours through the country. A little later on tho laymen's missionary movement will hold an important convention in Hamilton, Ontario, and Sir Andrew Fraser, accompanied in the west by Mr John R. Nott and in tho east by Mr Robert E. Spier, is to traverse the whole dominion in the interests of the laymen's movement. All of the speakers connected with these two meetings will have somewhat of an exhausting trip, for their fame has spread so far that they are besieged with requests to speak'at all. manner of gatherings. Most of them arq exceeding courteous and accede to such requests wherever possible.