PRISON CONDITIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19028, 30 May 1936, Page 14

PRISON CONDITIONS

BEQUEST FOR REFORM CONTROLLER’S REPLY DEPUTATIONISTS’ RECORDS (Per Press Association.? WELLINGTON, last night. Alr. R. L. Dallard, Controller-General of Prison;?, in a letter to the Evening Post, refers to an anonymous letter purporting to convey that an authoritative deputation had recently waited upon the .Minister of Justice urging an inquiry into prison conditions. Mr. Dallard writes: “I do not propose to enter into a press controversy, but it may be interesting for the. public to know of the credibility of the deputation* ists who waited upon the Minister to press for an inquiry into prison conditions.

'“Without mentioning names, the dossiers of the gentlemen concerned show as follows:—

. “Deputationst A has been persistently m and out of prison since 1924 for theft, forgery and no less than 20 charges of false pretences. , Deputationist J 3, a persistent offender since J 914 for offences of theft, assault, ete.,_ which comprise no less than IS convictions for crimes of violence. Deputations! C, repeatedly ’ in and out of prison since 1923 for breaking and entering, assault, theft and receiving. ‘lt is perfectly obvious why these men protest against the Habitual Crimmais Act, as they are all qualified to he detained thereunder. They are definitely anti-social and are unable to approach the pioblem dispassionately. If they object to the prison conditions, why do they persistently return?”