REFORMATORY METHODS.

White Ribbon, Volume 14, Issue 151, 16 December 1907, Page 8

REFORMATORY METHODS.

Fmm end to end of tin* Dominion intense interest is being taken in the Te Oranga Home tor (Jirls at ('hristehnreli, owing to tlie faet heeoming known that whipping and hair-crop-ping are used as means of punishment for troublesome inmates. The Minister for Education, under whose jurisdiction such homes are carried on. was enmmunicuted with h y objectors to these modes of punishment. but has only mused further consternation by intimating that whipping and haircutting are permitted by the regulations, and also by implying that lie considers such regulation desirable. It has been pointed out that, faulty as our prison svstem is, women offenders eontined

in our gaols are never subjected to

such degrading treatment. Society at large is sufficiently advanced to see that not reformation, but further

deterioration of character must re-

sult from such antiquated, barbarous practices, and the sooner the regulations and the administrators of the regulations are brought into accord with the spirit of tin* age, tin* happier it will be for all concerned. The ease has once more emphasised tin* fact that our reformatory system needs reforming. We must have better classification of tin* inmates. and also public surveillance and control of tin* homes by means of local bodies, composed of men and women, popularly elected.