Nine Prisoners Transferred

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30897, 2 November 1965, Page 16

Nine Prisoners Transferred

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 1. Nine minimum-to-medium security risk prisoners have been transferred from Lake Alice Hospital to Mt. Crawford gaol in Wellington.

They have been moved under heavy Justice Department guard in the last two weeks.

Four of the prisoners arrived at Mount Crawford last Thursday and another five arrived the week before.

The prison superintendent (Mr L. Gorman) said today that the prisoners were put in ordinary cells. “We have had no troubles with them. “Some are medium risks and some are minimum risks,” he said. Ail the prisoners who were transferred to Lake Alice after the riot and Are at Mount Eden gaol in Auckland in July have left Lake Alice. They have been moved to Paparua, Mount Crawford, and prison farms. Fifty-five prisoners were housed in the security block at Lake Alice mental hospital.

The Director of Prisons (Mr I. J. D. Mackay) said staffing problems had led to the prisoners’ transfers.

“It was too difficult to staff Lake Alice and keep Waikeria going as well.” George Wilder, some murderers, and other top-security risk prisoners are still at Waikeria.

The only disturbance while the prisoners were at Lake Alice was the brief escape of a young man soon after his arrival.