DETENTION CENTRE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29469, 22 March 1961, Page 16

DETENTION CENTRE

Establishment At Waikeria (N.Z. Press Association 1 IN’GILL.. . March 21. The Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) announced today that a detention centre was being established at Waikeria near Te Awamutu. He said that as from June 1 next. Courts in the North Island would be able to sentence male offenders to a period of three months in the detention centre. In the meantime, accommodation for only 30 inmates would be available and for this reason persons sentenced in South Island Courts could not be accommodated. The need for additional accommodation would be considered in the light of the experience at Waikeria, said Mr Hanan. The detention centre would be run in conjunction with the Borstal at Waikeria. but those inmates sentenced to detention would be kept separate from those serving sentences of Borstal training. The detailed routine for the centre had not yet been settled, but the aim would be to achieve a “fast tempo" throughout the day. At the same time. constructive assistance towards re-estab-lishing the offender in the community would be provided. The last annual report of the Justice Department said it was confirmed in the opinion that a detention centre was a most useful penal auxiliary. The report said a detention centre might serve to correct many who might otherwise be sent to Borstal and others for whom probation was virtually a certain failure.