One man’s poison...

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32539, 24 February 1971, Page 1

One man’s poison...

(By a staff reporter accompanying the Minister)

GREYMOUTH, Feb. 23. Distaste for the proposal to have a detention centre at Queen Mary Hospital, Hamner Springs, would be turned to Reefton’s advantage if the Inangahua County Council and the Inangahua Economic Development Committee have their way.

The Minister of Mines (Mr Shelton) was told at Reefton that both groups

would welcome a detention centre. Reefton had suitable land, forestry and other projects at which detainees could work, said the county chairman (Mr J. E. Etheredge). To have a detention centre at Reefton would cost far less than to buy property elsewhere, he said. Christchurch was only three hours away and Greymouth was an hour away. This gave easy access from courts. Problems »uch as those

that could arise at Hanmer Springs would not occur at Reefton. “These pre - release people are our own citizens and they have to go back among the public. There’s not very much wrong with any of them,” said Mr Etheredge. The Minister said he

would take the question up with the Minister of Justice (Mr Riddiford).

As a former resident of Rangiora and Hanmer Springs, be would use his influence to see that the “beauty and charm** of Hanmer Springs was retained, the Minister of Tourism (Mr Walker) said in a letter to the North Canterbury Electric Power Board. Mr Walker was replying to the board’s letter sent to him protesting about the possibility of Queen Mary Hospital being converted to a detention centre.