212 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



1 1. The question of prison labor should be removed from the arena 

 of party politics, and membei's ofl abor organizations should look at 

 this question from a patriotic rather than from a trades standpoint. 



A practical difficulty in the way of prison reform in this Province 

 is the divided control of the county gaols. The gaols are under the 

 inspection of the local Government, but the construction and main- 

 tenance is under the control of the county councils. Prison reform 

 requires unification and centralization of the prison system of the 

 state. Without it true prison reform is impossible. Unification and 

 centi'alization is necessaiy in our education system. It is quite as 

 necessary in our penal system. In Belgium and in Great Britain all 

 the local pi'isons ai'e constructed on the same system (the cellular 

 system). This was not effected in England until the Central Govern- 

 ment assumed absolute control of all the local prisons. Previous to 

 this, every effort was made by the Government to induce, and even 

 to compel, the local authorities to make the change but without 

 avail. We should profit by the experience of the Mother Country. 



