MACONOCHIE'S EXPERIMENT How one man's extraordinary vision saves transported convicts from degradation and despair

Hardback. In 1840 Australia was full of transported convicts and Norfolk Island, a thousand miles out in the Pacific was its prison of 'ultimate terror'. Alexander Maconochie arrived as the new Governor and was appalled by the brutality he found. He introduced his 'mark' system whereby prisoners could reduce their sentences by good behaviour. After 3yrs. the authorities sent a Commission to the island and their report was highly favourable, but Maconochie was ousted by a new Colonial Secretary and the experiment was over. Of the 920 prisoners he released, only 2% were ever convicted again. Illus. + Map, Epilogue, Sources and Index. 276pp. 8vo. h/back. F. in F. dw.