Prison Farm Plan Recommended to Victoria Govt.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 255, 27 October 1937, Page 3

Prison Farm Plan Recommended to Victoria Govt.

.MELBOURNE. Impressed by what he saw of New Zealand’s penal farm system during his recent investigation in that Dominion, the Chief Secretary of Victoria, 11. S. Bailey, announces that he will recommend to the Cabinet the adoption of a similar system in this {State. He envisages the employment of prisoners tu prepare Crown land for settlement, wringing it to a stage at which cultivation could begin. Although inc principle that prisoners should do useful and profitable work is not new in Victoria, the New Zealand system contains some novel features. To the objection that the prisoners might be competing with private labour, the reply of tho New Zealand authorities is that the man was on the labour market before he became a prisoner, and therefore that there was no reason why he should not be usefully employed after his sentence, and so be able to contribute something to the support of his dependents. New Zealand prisoners arc employed iu farm work on Government land, in quarrying, and even in road building. They receive 22s 6d a week, which is paid to their families, and 6d a day for themselves. Prison farms are run on the honour system and the percentage of attempted escapes is low. The average of discharged prisoners who return after a subsequent conviction is 10 per cent.

Mr. Bailey declares that everything he saw in the system commended itself to him: the effect on the morale ami the mentality of the men employed, their response to sympathetic treatment ami the economic value of the work they did. One of New Zealand’s prison farms received £lB,OOO for the sale oi its produce in 1936, and was actually self-supporting, instead of being a charge upon the State. The size of New Zealand’s prison population is the same as Victoria’s, about 1200 men. “Remember, my boy,” said the elderly relative, seutentiously, "that wealth docs not bring happiness.” "I don’t expect it to,” answered the young man. "I merely want it so that I may be able to choose the kind of misery that is most agreeable to me.” ss> <•><•> <s> 4 ‘Your honour,” complained an irate Irishwoman, "this no-account husband of mine drinks.” ‘‘Quite right, your honour,” interrupted the husband, “I do. But that woman don’t treat me right. Why, 1 pawns the kitchen stove to get a little money an’ she doesn’t miss it for two weeks! ’ ’