PRISON SUPERINTENDENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19313, 1 May 1937, Page 8

PRISON SUPERINTENDENT

MR. J. DOWN RETIRES FAREWEI jL PRESENTATION (Per Press Association.) WELLIN'OAON, last night. The changing of the guard was witnessed at Wellington prison tonight, when the staff met to bid farewell to Superintendent John Down, who is retiring after 40 years' service with the department. The presentation of an armchair was made on behalf of the staff by Mr. B. L. Dallard, Controller-General of Prisons, and a clock was presented to Mr. Down by Mr. A. Longmore, on behalf of the Wellington Justices of the Peace association.

Mr. Down ,Ims had a wide experience in the Prisons Department. lie was in charge of the tree planting camps at Haniner and Waiotapu, and was al?o in charge of parties which opened up the Waikeria and Hautu prison farms. He was largely instrumental in starting tho nursery of native shrubs on Mount Crawford, which is being developed for the purpose of replanting Watts Peninsula in cooperation with the Wellington Beautifying Society. In expressing the department’s appreciation of Air. Down’s work, Mr. Dallard said that little did Mr. Down realiso when he began 40 years ago as an assistant warder at Wellington prison that ihe had a marshal's baton in his knapsack. Ilis success had been due to tho fact that; he had invariably made the department's aflnirs his chief concern.

Mr. Down’s successor is Mr. W. E. Stewart, at present chief warder of Wellington Prison.