MINISTER BLAMES ‘TROUBLEMAKERS’

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32563, 24 March 1971, Page 2

MINISTER BLAMES ‘TROUBLEMAKERS’

(N.Z. Press Association) ’ WELLINGTON, March 23. The Minister of Justice (Mr Riddiford) has received a preliminary report on last Saturday’s riot in Mount Eden Prison. “It appeared that a group of troublemakers had set out to intimidate the prison authorities, by refusing to leave the exercise yard and demanding an interview with members of Parliament to voice certain grievances,” Mr Riddiford said. “The superintendent of the prison had been in the exercise yard earlier in the day to allow any man who wanted to see him to do so. No complaints whatever had been mentioned to the superintendent then. “It was plain, therefore, that the later demonstration had been organised deliberately to create a disturbance, and it was significant that some of those involved had tried to create a similar disturbance at another prison recently.” Instructions were issued for the men to be contained I in the exercise yard until < they chose to conform to ' routine and make their comS laints in a proper manner, i e said. I

Mr Riddiford recounted what happened after that, including the starting of fires, the wounding of a prisoner, and the injuring of five , prison officers. He commended the superintendent (Mr J. Hobson) ' and his staff for their “prompt, courageous and resolute action” in dealing with the situation. Mr Riddiford said he was aware that Mount Eden and other prisons were seriously overcrowded because of a fairly sharp increase in prison population over the last few months. But this did not mean that a few dangerously inclined people would be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Prison conditions were still vastly better than had been the case even 10 years ago, and there were proper channels for expressing grievances without recourse to vio-

lence, which endangered peaceful citizens as well as other prisoners who wanted to avoid trouble, Mr Riddiford said. GOVT BLAMED Government economy measures could be blamed for the riot, the president of the Public Service Association (Mr S. J. Rodger) said today. “Contrary to the statement of the Minister of Justice (Mr Riddiford) that

1 efforts were being made to ■ recruit more prison staff, the , association has learned that , the Government’s staff ceil- : ings have prevented the replacement of staff who leave • because they are fed up with i inadequate pay and intoler- ' able working conditions.” He said that the associai tion had lodged a salary claim for prison officers some time ago, but it seemed that the Government’s Stabilisation of Remuneration Bill would frustrate improvements in pay and leave which might attract more staff. “These improvements are necessary to alleviate the perpetual harassing strain of a prison officer's work, which also communicates itself to his wife and family,” said Mr Rodger. Prison officers at Mt Eden and elsewhere daily faced intolerable working conditions compounded from prison overcrowding and staff shortages, he said. CHARGES HEARD The hearing of charges against 82 inmates began in Mt Eden Prison today before Mr M. L. Morgan, S.M. The charges, of a disciplinary nature, are being brought under Section 32(2) of the Penal Institutions Act Under the act prisoners do not have any rights of representation by counsel and the press is excluded.