DR. FINDLAY INTERVIEWED.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12829, 23 July 1909, Page 5

DR. FINDLAY INTERVIEWED.

Land Settlement and Prison

Reform

(Per United Pres* Association.) DUNEDIN, July 22. In tlic course of an interview to-day the Hon Dr Findlay said $he Government were offering 40Q sections of, say, 200 acres, to be opened under the Laud for Settlement Act's improved regulations. Under these a settler would be' paid standard wages for bringing the first 50 acres into profitable occupation, and wil' get an advance from the state to assist ,in building a- home. No rent will be paid for the first 15 months. Since 1906 1,530,219 acres of Crown Lands has been settled. . The area at present advertised for , settlement was 108,000 acres, and 98,000 acres would be advertised before the end of August. Under the Land for Settlements Act the . Government had borrowed ,£5,500,000, with obligations extending over an additidnarj62oo,ooo, " On the question of prison reform the Minister said that steps were being taken ~to find a really suitable siiperintendent for a reformatory farm. The Government aimed at the following classification of prisoners—(l) Professional criminals and incorrigible vagrants; (2) habitual drunkards; (3) insane and epileptic criminals ; (4) corrigible .criminals; (5) presumptive criminals. The gaols and treatment provided for the first four classes would be different as far as possible. The prisoners coming Under the first heading be' kept kept hi strong gaols under strict discipline with divisions according to good conduct, and provision for teaching a useful trade or calling. The treatment for habitual draunkards would be medicinal and industrial. It was, difficult to deal with, insane and epileptic criminals. ; Some\>f them might require to be incarcerated all their lives, but in other cases a permanent cure might be effected. Corrigible criminals, who were chiefly between 16 and 30 years of age, and who were not yet confirmed criminals must be treated in reformatories, which should be both of an agricultural and industrial charact-. er. The proper "carrying out of an improved prison system would involve some chatages in law to permit of an indeterminate sentence, either absolute or qualified, to be employed in what is now called minor offences.

The Minister said the vacancy in the Magistracy caused by the deatfe of Mr W. P. James would probably be filled on his return to Wellington, which lie expects to reach on Sunday.

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