PLEASED WITH GAOL
A STORY FROM RARATONGA. IMPRISONMENT FOR ARSON. It is not often that convicts leave the precincts of his Majesty's prisons so pleased with the conditions and treatment received that they resolve to tell their acquaintances what a fine place gaol is, and -give advice how to gain admission. Yet, according to a story told in court at Raratonga, this apparently happened. The M'onowai, which arrived at Wellington on Monday, brought two Raratongan prisoners, who, it is understood, are to serve sentences of five and 15 years respectively in New Zealand for arson. According to a passenger, who had been some time on the island, the story told in court was that a prisoner returning from serving a sentence in New Zealand, told his fellow natives what a wonderful place gaol was. He was also supposed to have told his associates that a good way to cover up one's tracks after a theft was committed was to burn the place down. The result was that a native, already serving a sentence of seven years and a half, escaped from a working gang, and after stealing some goods from the store of W. H. Groves and Sons, traders, together with an accomplice, set fire to it. The fire, which occurred at about ten o'clock in the evening, caused intense excitement on the island, and only very strenuous efforts nrevented it from spreading. So far as the oldest inhabitants can remember, this was the first fire has ever occurred on the island. The natives were greatly awed by the spectacle, and appeared to be thoroughly frightened. Curiously enough, following the blaze, there had been two further outbreaks on the island, two native shacks being burned. It was for setting fire to the store that the two natives received their sentences, which, it is understood, will be served in New Zealand. "The natives in Raratonga gave their friends a preat send-off, and were immensely tickled to think that they were going to spend some time <j gaol," the passenger added.
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Bibliographic details
King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3399, 28 July 1932, Page 4
Word Count
339PLEASED WITH GAOL King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3399, 28 July 1932, Page 4
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