THE PRISONS SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 49, 26 August 1925, Page 15

THE PRISONS SYSTEM

BRIEF DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. A brief discussion on the prisons system took place in the House of Representatives last night on the motion to print the annual report ijf the Prisons Department. Mr. J. A. Lea (Auckland East) urged the necessity for better accommodation for the prisons departmental officials. The Police Department had received an increase in wages, but the prisons officials had not, though according to the annual reports they had achieved very desirable results. Ths speaker thought a reduction in warders' hours was urgently necessary. There was a . fair amount of dissatisfaction amongst the warders in respect of their remuneration. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) asked for information as to the proportion of the population of the country occupying the prisons. What did the Government propose to do, he asked, to give effect to the recommendations of the Mental Defectives Commission? The Hon. Sir James Parr said that matter concerned the Minister of Health and not himself. Mr. Sidey contended that it came under the office of the Minister of Justice. Mr. F. Langstone (Waimarino) put in a plea for the prisoners, and a«ked for an increase in the rationing allowance for men who were working hard. They would never make good citizens of prisoners by keeping them on short rations, Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) criticised conditions at Paparoa Prison, and urged the building of better gaols. Too much was being made of the policy of making the prisons self-sup-porting. An inspection, should be made of the Paparoa Prison by an independent builder to determine whether it waa fit for habitation. Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) said conditions at Paparoa were a hundred pet cent, better than they were twenty years ago. The gaol building was a credit to anyone.