The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-24 00:00:00

INDUSTRIAL PRISON LABOUR.

Laat evening a meeting was held at the Lam-
beth Baths, to promote an extension of remunera-
tive priaon labour in lieu of the present non-productive sys-
tem. There wssa munerons attendancenotwithstanding the
inclemency of the we►ther. On the platform were several
gentlemen officially connected with the management of
criminals, amongst whom were Mr. Young, Superintendent
of Convicts for the Perth District of Western Australia,
and Mr. Charles Measor, late Deputy-Governor of Chatham
Convict Prison.

Mr. GEORGE M. MERPHY proposed the following resolu-
tion, which was seconded and carried unanimously :
"That it is highly important to render our prisons more
definitely reformatory and permanently corrective than
they are at present, end that this is mainly to be effected
by encouraging habits of useful industry, calculated to be
practically available by the inmates after their discharge."
Mr. Murphy then adduced various interesting particulars
illustrative of the fact that most criminals are rendered
such by their gross ignorance, their neglected training,
and severe temptations. Less than 5 per cent. of them
are able to rmil and write well ; and it is found that the
great bulk of our prisoners are from the labouring classes,
domestic servants, the destitute, paupers, and vagrants.
It is not enough that we shut up criminal, safely when
they commit offences, but we should take into special
account what will be likely to happen when they are set
at liberty again. as, sooner or later, they must be. For
this liberty they must bebetter qualified than heretofore. Let
them be taught some useful trade, some practical occupa-
tion by which they can really earn an honest living after-
wards. What use is oakum-picking or " grinding the
wind" at the treadwheel to the man at his discbirge ? Such
employment tends to disgust men more than ever with
labour, and should therefore be abandoned, and some
really useful occupation substituted.
Mr. W. TALLACK, secretary to the Howard Asso-
ciation, 5, Bishopagate-street-without, described the suc-
cessful operation of the industrial treatment of prisoners
in Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, France, and America,
where, in general, they were given " ask-work " or
" piece-work, ' and allowed to have from one-tenth to one-
sixth part of their earnings for their support at discharge,
or for their families. It was found that such training
greatly lessened expenses, and also the number of re-corn-
initteb:, by the removal of temptations to rasp.° into
crime. Mr. Tallack spoke highly of the humanity and
assiduity of many of the prison governors andl visiting
magistrates of this country ; but he considered that
there must nevertheless be a radical error in our
criminal treatment when it resulted, as it does at
present, in so little real reformation, whilst
meting the nation enormous sums of money. He showed
the fallacy of the objection, sometimes urged against
prison labour, that it would compete unfairly with honest
efforts outside. But if a prisoner earns the whole or a part
of his maintenance so much will be saved to the rate-
payers. If he is not taught a trade he will be a dead
weight on the community whilst in prison and worse still
after his discharge. As for garotters, wife-beaters, and
such ruffians they deserve deterrent treatment. But the
great majority of criminals need rather to be trained to
industry which will serve them in good stead after their
discharge.
Mr. CHARLES P. IlaAsos next addressed the meeting.
Hisremarks were mainly directed against the recommenda-
tions of the late committee of the House of Lords
on criminal treatment. lie had given evidence before
that committee, which, however, in opposition to the
majority of witnesses and to the weight of evidence, de-
cided in favour of increasing non-remunerative and merely
deterrent oacupation in prisons. Hence the present ex-
tension of the use of tremlwheels, shot-drill, and crank.
Hence also the present general enforcement of plank-beds
(without a mattress) for the first three months of deten-
tion. This he considered to be cruelty. Let us secure
criminals, work them, punish them when necessary, but
at least let them have an undistracted night's rest after
their daily toil.
Several other addresses followed, and the meeting ended
with the usual votes of thanks.

Ter AnencermAnow or me Poor Law.—At
the usual weekly meeting of the Strand Union guardians,
on Tuesday, as many am 400 persons made applications
for relief. Some of the applicants were " frozen out"
labourers, whom a few days' frost had brought to the ranks
of pauperism. Not a few of the cases would have been well
met by the offer of the "house," but the house is now
a large hospital, and therefore has not room to apply the
labour test to the improvident. The majority of the cases,
however, were really deserving.and the people were thank-
ful to receive relief to the extent of a shilling and two
loaves, and in some cases the supplement of a little meat.
Where the applicant had several children, • little addi-
tional relief in money and kind was given. Altogether it
was apparent that the guardians, in the discharge of the
onerous duty of paying away the ratepayers' money, gave
no relief but in cases which hail been thoroughly investi-
gated. The increase of out-dour pauperism in this central
union of parishes is shown in the statement that at this
time last year there were 1,4:12 names on the books as re-
ceiving out-door relief, while now there are 2,2.12 recipients
of relief. The relief given in money and kind this week
amounts to 184!. 13s. 4d., while last year in the correspond-
ing week it amounted to 113/. 15s. led. The statement
giving the numbers of in-door poor shows that of 507 adults
in the house only 88 are able-bodied. In addition there
are 17 children in the house and 243 at Edmonton, the
guardians having taken the excellent advice given by the
1 ite metropolitan inspector, and separated the children
from contact with adult pauperism.