Help For Wilder’s Painting

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31449, 16 August 1967, Page 1

Help For Wilder’s Painting

fW.Z. Pre>« Association; WELLINGTON, August 15. Representations for the top-security prison inmate, George Wilder, to be allowed to have artist’s watercolours and brushes in his cell during his solitary confinement hours culminated in success in Parliament tonight.

The Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) said: “I will instruct that these things be provided as long as no glass containers are brought into the cell.” Mr Hanan was replying to Mr C. J. Moyle (Lab, Manukau) who had added his appeal to those of others on Wilder’s behalf. Parliament was debating estimates of the Department of Justice.

Wilder is serving a sentence of 18 years and seven months in Mount Eden Prison for a number of offences including shop-breaking, house-

breaking, burglary and car conversion.

Evening newspapers today published examples of the prisoner’s work which it was said had been done under "almost impossible conditions.”

Paper On Wail

The reports said that during his solitary confinement hours from 4 p.m. to 8.30 am. Wilder sketched on paper held against the wall by cellulose tape. Wilder's request for oils and water-colours in 1965 had not been granted. Mr Moyle said tonight: “I fail to see why provision of simple art equipment could not be possible.” If the country was to rehabilitate even the most difficult prisoner, it should encourage such activities.

“We should do our utmost to ensure that they are gainfully occupied for as long as possible. A paint brush and easel and a few water-colours cannot be construed as escape equipment even by the most suspicious of people.” Mr Hanan said this was a very important question con-

cerning security inmates at a maximum security prison. For some time, prisoners who wanted them had been supplied with pencils, paper and crayons for drawing work. This had later been

supplemented by drawing boards.

He would allow the supply of water-colours and brushes but the question of security was paramount Mr Hanan said that Wilder had a record of more than 100 charges of shop-breaking, burglary, and housebreaking, and about 50 charges of car conversion. He had escaped from prison twice, and on one occasion the lives of innocent people were threatened’. “I have instructed that the prisoner be held in close security and I am standing by that—l am standing behind the prison staff," he said. Writer’s Plea At the opening of the New Zealand Universities’ Arts Festival in Christchurch on Sunday, Maurice Shadbolt, the writer, of Auckland, said that every possible impediment had been placed in Wilder’s way to prevent him from learning to paint

A few days ago Wilder was given an easel. An offer of one from an Auckland painter, Colin McCahon, had been refused and an easel was made in the gaol. Wilder can use the easel in

the workshop but not in his cell. He is in the workshop

with one other inmate from 8.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. He works best in his cell. An art teacher who visits the gaol at night is not allowed Into the maximum security wing where Wilder is, but Wilder can send work to the teacher. “Work Creased” Friends say the first work he sent up came back folded in four, and the creases could not be removed. It was a portrait and intended as a wedding present for a man who had helped him. No more has been sent up. Some leading Auckland artists and writers, including the historian and former senior research fellow at Auckland University (Dr. E. H. McCormick) became interested in Wilder and made representations to the Justice Department