PRISON REFORM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11338, 30 April 1912, Page 5

PRISON REFORM.

As a result of his conference with the gaolers of the various prisons, says the Post, the Minister in charge of the Department (the Hon. J. A. Hauaii) hopes to introduce reforms to secure improvements in prison management and increased efficiency. In a reference to the subject, the Minister said that the conference had shown him tiiat conditions now existed which handicapped, to some extent, all efforts to give practical effect to the excellent scheme initiated by his predecessor in office, Sir John Fiiidlay—a scheme which embodied the most scientific humane, and rational methods of dealing with criminals. At present each prison had all classes of prisoners to deal with. He was, in fact, informed that it was practically impossible to carry out proper classification with the buildings and yards now available. The- present staffs appeared insufficient to exercise proper supervision, and there was a lack of suitable employment for the different olasse." of prisoners. Then there was need of instructing gaolers as to the particular kind of reformative treatment required. Complaints were being made on the part of somo prisoners sentenced to reformative treatment that they were dealt with in the same manner as men sentenced to hard abour, and these would have to be looked into. He thought it was necessary that tho efficiency of the prisons should bo stiffened up, and that proper provision should be made for the training of warders and those who would in future be the managers of reformative institutions. The discipline enforced must be wholesome, and at the same time not overcliluted with "milk of human kindness."