"Careful Selection" In Release Of Prisoners

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31865, 18 December 1968, Page 27

" Careful Selection" In Release Of Prisoners

Prisoners specially released by the Government to demonstrate the significance it gave to the Declaration of Human Rights were all carefully selected by highly qualified prison officers, said Mr H. J. Walker, M.P., on Monday. He added that the officers believed these prisoners would be aided in their rehabilitation by being reunited with their families at this

time. Mr Walker was commenting on a letter to the editor of ‘The Press” from M. O’Neill, who wrote: “I read with interest your report of the public luncheon on human rights, but would Mr Walker please clarify his remarks? First, he says that some time ago the Christchurch branch of the United Nations Association asked the Minister of Justice to grant special remissions to selected prisoners on December 10. Surely he means the Christchurch Human Rights Commitee? He says ‘the release of 110 prisoners is a demonstration of the significance the Government gives to this anniversary.’ At last a member of Parliament has made a statement I agree

with. Would Mr Walker agree that the Government could do, better than release 110 prisoners who had been fairly convicted and will quite possibly be in prison again early in the New Year? If the Government wants to save overseas funds for travelling Parliamentarians, perhaps it could investigate the situation of our secondclass citizens—pensioners and

coloureds.” To the other points raised, Mr Walker said: “It was the Christchurch Human Rights Committee that approached the Government concerning special remission to selected persons. The chairman r f this committee is also the chairman of the Christchurch branch of the United Nations Association and renders outstanding service to our city. Overseas Trip "If your correspondent is referring to the world tour I undertook recently, it was as guest to the American, British and German governments; no taxpayers’, or New Zealand overseas funds were involved. ‘Tn my view our senior citizens are those most deserving of respect, and statistics will prove they have always been treated more generously by National governments than under Labour. National will always be as generous to this section of the community as is humanly and physically possible.”