Assurance On Site Of Youth Prison

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30190, 23 July 1963, Page 17

Assurance On Site Of Youth Prison

(New Zealand Press Association)

PALMERSTON NORTH, July 22.

Two members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake), have assured the Mayor of Palmerston North (Mr G. M. Rennie) that they will hold immediate discussions with the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) over the proposal to establish a youth prison in the Palmerston North boundary. These assurances, received by telegram today, result from a strong protest by Mr Rennie over the proposed youth prison.

Until Mr Hanan discloses further details, it is believed a section of the Palmerston North Hospital Board’s farm adjacent to the Awapuni racecourse is first preference for the prison site. Mr Hanan said last week a suitable site in or , near Palmerston North was being sought on behalf of the Justice Department. No conclusion had yet been reached.

“The community cannot escape its share of responsibility for the creation of the social ills that make refor-

(native institutions necessary,” says a statement by a number of Palmerston North clergymen. “Equally, no community can rightly evade its share of responsibility in making available suitable areas of land where corrective training might be given to those who need it.

“While recognising the rightness of the concern expressed by the Mayor in respect of some aspects of the particular site, which appears to be under consideration, we believe that the Justice Department is right in its desire to secure a site adjacent to the city for the particular purpose of establishing a youth prison. “It is believed that one of the essential factors in the rehabilitation of those committed to such institutions is their on-going although limited, contact With the

community life to which they must- eventually return. “It is, therefore, most desirable that the public..generally should be aware and have opportunity to share in the responsibility of their rehabilitation. For this reason it is desirable that such an institution should be adjacent to a city that has a strong sense of community responsibility. “We believe Palmerston North to be such a city, and if, for good reasons, the particular site under consideration should not be used, we trust that another site, will be found and that the citizens of this city will co-oper-ate fully with the authorities in. the work of such an institution.” the statement says.