PRISON LABOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1935, Page 2

PRISON LABOUR

JIAIIKETINt; CO.ML’I.ALNT. WELLINGTON, July 0. Mr William topping, president ol the Hutt Valley Producers’ Association, j has made a, statement alleging unfair competition ,b.V tin; Prisons Department in selling vegetables grown at \Vi Taki prison on the opeii market at Wellington. Mr Copping says that the department has been competing for several years now with the growers of the Jlutt Valley. in spite of the assurance given by a previous Minister for Justice (Sir Thomas Wilford), when the prison gardening commenced, that on no account' would the depart/ment compete with growers. Mr Copping said that every year more ami more produce from prisons was paced on the market. He said that 100 to 130 ' sacks, comprising swedes, carrots -parsnips, silver beet, celery, and lettuce, wen', being marketed twice a week.

Air ('opping raised several points besides the overloading of the market. First, did the department .pay rates? What was the cost of marketing in both cases? lie said that the answer was "Nil.” No class had been hit by the depression so hard as the market gardeners .who had hud thrust upon them all forms of competition such as relief workers on communal gardens, and dairy farmers who had to raise their own produce. ■During his investigations. Air Copping said, ho came in contact with a;collector for a suburban relief committee who was begging for produce, .Was it not the duty of the Government to provide for ill-fed men, women, and

children? What were the chairmen ol the various relief committees doing? he asked. Did they know that this marketing of produce was going on, while the Justice Department showed a prefit of £IO.OOO on the last year’s working? lie suggested that they demand from tire Govern men t produce at cost price instead of allowing them to eotnpeie against a body of honest workers who were finding the economic situation very.liard to deal with. Air (kipping also complained of injustice •being caused to returned soldiers who had taken up land and who now had the pleasure of seeing a Government four-ton lorry, going tomnrket loaded with vegetables i,u competition with them.