PRISON-MADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 45, 22 February 1934, Page 9

PRISON-MADE.

SUPPLIES OF BREAD. CHATEAU TONGARIRO. YEAR'S CONTRACT LET. Bread used at Chateau Tongariro this vcar will be manufactured by prison labour at the Waikune prison, Erua. According to advice received from Wellington to-day, the Prisons Department has obtained the contract for the supply of bread to the Tongariro tourist hostel, and its duration is for twelve months, from December 1 last. The contract price is not disclosed. It is understood that, under the terms of the arrangement, a definite number of loaves daily is not prescribed, but that over the period the Department will meet requirements in accordance with fluctuating demands at the Chateau. Quality Standard. It is claimed by the authorities that the prisoners at Waikune bake a loaf of high quality, and that the capacity of the bakehouse is sufficient to discharge the terms of the contract without impoverishing supplies for the inetitution itself. "Bread of very good quality continues to be manufactured at the prison, and it meets institutional needs and staff sales," reported the officer in charge of Waikune, Mr. J. McGrath, in his last resume of operations to Parliament. During the last financial year a small supply of bread was sold to the Tourist Department for use at the Chateau, but the present is the first occasion, it is gathered, on. which a contract has been negotiated. It is interesting to note that the ■whole of the Department's bread requirements are made at the different institutions throughout the Dominion, and an appreciable economy in that! direction has resulted. Part of Reformation. The Departmental view of the utili-1 eation of prison labour in industry is that prisoners, as far as is practicable, should be employed on productive and remunerative work in order to reduce to the taxpayer the cost of their maintenance. In addition, it is claimed, the provision of suitable work plays an important part in any institutional scheme for reformation and rehabilitation. "The mere fact that men are behind prison bars should not debar them from being useful economic units of society," states Mr. B. L. Dallard, Controller-General of Prisons. "The majority contribute, through the fruits of their labours, toward the maintenance of their dependents. They must, therefore, be regarded as carrying a social responsibility, which involves the right to work. So long as the products of their labour are not sold at cutrate prices, the marketing of prisonmade commodities in most countries is not objected to. In New Zealand the aim has been to avoid competition with private enterprise as far as practicable." It is noted by Mr. Dallard that out of a total cost of 7.8 d per day per head of the prison population for rations, 40 per cent is produced from the Department's own farms and gardens.

Bakers' Protest. Master bakers in Auckland take strong exception to the principle in the letting of the contract. They say it is another example of Government interference in business, which is still resented by the commercial community. Complaints had been received from the Taumarunui branch of the New Zealand Master Bakers' Association, and were at present receiving the consideration of the Dominion executive in Christchureh. A King Country baker, who was one of the tenderers for the Chateau contract, said: "It would be most illuminating for swell tourists from other parts of the world to know that they will be eating bread made by prison labour." An Auckland baker said that as the cost of production at Waikune must be lower than that of the average baker, the Department had laid itself open to the suspicion that it was cuttmg prices. 0