Criticism Of Cuts In Justice Vote

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31449, 16 August 1967, Page 28

Criticism Of Cuts In Justice Vote

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 15.

Dr. A. M. Finlay (Lab., Waitakere) described the Department of Justice today as “efficient and enlightened”—but he told Parliament it was ‘‘labouring strenuously” under the Government’s economic policies.

During debate on the estimates of the department, he quoted extracts from the annual report of the Secretary for Justice (Dr. J. L. Robson) who warned about the dangers of overcrowding in penal institutions and the possibilities of violence through lack of prison staff to supervise inmates.

Dr. Finlay said that in spite of the “ominous word” of the Secretary for Justice there still seemed to be some restriction on taking on prison staff.

“The department is doing its best with temporary expedients,” he said. Mr G. F. Gair (Nat., North Shore) said that New Zealand’s penal officer cadet scheme was the first of its kind in the world. The Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) replied that the Cabinet had recently given approval for the recruitment of 40 more prison officers—and 28 had so far been recruited. Marriage Guidance Mr R. J. Tizard (Lab., Pakuranga) criticised the cut in the vote under the Estimates for marriage guidance services from $BOOO last year to $6OOO this year and said: “It is pretty dear that the work of this organisation cannot go ahead even at its previous level.” He said that the director of marriage guidance services in Auckland —who was paid his salary out of the vote —had resigned. Mr J. R. Harrison (Nat., Hawke’s Bay) said the Justice Department was fully aware of the importance of the Marriage Guidance Council. In reply, Mr Hanan said the marriage guidance service had received a minor cut this year in line with the Government’s economic policy, and he hoped that next year the full vote would be restored. The number of marriage guidance counsellors at present working in the community represented a "very considerable citizen army” and the reduction in this year’s vote would mean that the selection and training of a few counsellors would be deferred about nine months. Mr Hanan said there were now prison aid societies in 18 centres throughout the country and the provision of Government financial aid had enabled them to concentrate on helping prisoners instead of raising funds. “If we are to continue this work to its logical conclusion there will be more on the Estimates in future years rather than less,” he said. Discussing the Dunedin Women’s Prison, Mr Hanan said: “I take no pride in what I know of that building and its suitability for the purpose for winch it is used.” Consideration was being

given to a replacement Institution at Christchurch, and he hoped that work would begin on construction of the women’s prison there next year. Separated Wives Mr W. A. Fraser (Lab., St. Hilda) spoke on the plight of separated women. “I am not satisfied either with the law as it stands or with the administration of the law,” he said. A deserted wife automatically got financial assistance because it could easily be proved that a wife had been deserted. Mr Fraser said that in the ease of the separated wife it was often difficult to prove and many husbands did not face up to their financial responsibility to the wife and children. Mr Hanan said he was not happy either with the position regarding separated wives. The delay in getting maintenance for them was not the fault of the Court bailiffs, but of the husbands. “I wish we could devise a way to make them measure up to their resonsibilities,” he said. Review Of Sentences Mr A. H. Nordmeyer (Lab., Island Bay) supported the contention of the Secretary for Justice that fines should be imposed more often, rather than sentences of imprisonment. “It may well be that the time has arrived for this House to review the sentences that are imposed under the various acts that we work under,” he said. “It is important that as far as possible men should be kept out of prison if some other sentences can be invoked.” Mr Hanan said that he had asked the Department of Justice to examine the Police Offences Act—with particular reference to the amount of the fines that could be imposed. , . After consideration had been given to the department’s proposals, legislation would be introduced into Parliament “at a very early date.” Mr R. L. Bailey (Lab., Heretaunga) claimed that the crime rate in New Zealand was the highest it had ever been. “We would like to know what this Government is doing about juvenile delinquency. It was elected on a falsehood when it promised to get at the root of juvenile delinquency,” he said. Compensation Dr. Finlay queried an amount of $16,000 in the department’s estimates paid to three persons as compensation. Dr. Finlay asked what was the age of the persons concerned as “quite a number” of other employees of the department had had their services dispensed with without compensation. Mr Hanan replied that the persons concerned were members of the Security Service. Members of this service were “peculiarly placed” especially if they became publicly identified as the whole essence of the service depended on their not being identified. One of the three was David Godfrey, the security agent who received publicity as a result of incidents at Auckland University last year.