PRISON OFFICERS ATTACKED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 15

PRISON OFFICERS ATTACKED

Fracas In Auckland Gaol Bootshop

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 12.

Four prison officers were injured in a fracas with prisoners in the bootshop of Auckland Prison yesterday afternoon. The Controller-General of Prisons (Mr S. T. Barnett) today denied that a riot had occurred, but said a “concerted attack” had been made on several officers. Mr Barnett was visiting the prison at the time of the disturbance, about 3 p.m. He said police were inquiring into the occurrence and several prisoners would later appear in the Magistrate’s Court to answer charges. He hoped the charges could be preferred by Monday. The prison superintendent (Mr H. V. Haywood) said today the trouble lasted only about five minutes. He said the four officers “roughed up” were not badly injured, though one man who returned to duty as soon as his injuries were attended to was later sent home.

Prisoners have twice attacked officers in Auckland prison in recent months. A' 19-year-old Borstal inmate transferred here was sentenced to a six months’ extension of sentence for assaulting Deputy Principal P. J. Anstis in April, and last month a 34-year-old remand prisoner was gaoled for six weeks for assaulting Assistant Superintendent L. Hine.