Borstal Scheme To Form Rescue Teams

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31941, 19 March 1969, Page 1

Borstal Scheme To Form Rescue Teams

(New Zealand Press Association!

WELLINGTON, March 18.

An announcement by the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) that Borstal inmates are to form special rescue teams to meet emergency situations received a mixed reception in Wellington today.

The Commissioner of Police (Mr G. C. Urquhart) was enthusiastic about the idea, but the city’s Civil Defence officer, Mr C. Fraser, was prepared to give the scheme only “guarded approval.”

The Minister’s announcement said that inmates of Waikeria and Invercargill Borstals are to provide special teams of about 20 selected inmates and two or three officers to assist the community in times of emergency. These teams could be moved at short notice to any part of the country where they might be needed. Intensive training of the

new teams will Include first-

aid and rescue techniques; and assistance with training would be available through the Civil Defence organisations in Invercargill and Te Awamutu, said the announcement. Mr Hanan said that in the recent review of the Borstal policy he had emphasised the need for greater help from the community, but it was also desirable for the Borstals to do more for the community than in the past. Threefold Benefit Benefit from the scheme, Mr Hanan said, would be threefold:

Specially trained groups of

inmates would be available to give help to the community. The training would be a valuable preparation for the inmates’ return to the community. The practical nature of the training programme would enable inmates to see clearly the objectives of the course and this would develop in them a sense of achievement. Mr Urquhart said the police would not only welcome such a scheme, 1 t would also do all they could to help promote it.