DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AS TO PRISONS’ POPULATION IN N.Z.

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 October 1946, Page 2

DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AS TO PRISONS’ POPULATION IN N.Z.

(P.A.) Pai Ik ment, Oct. 4. It. was gratifying to see that the pr.son population in New Zealand was decreasing, but he did not know that there had neon any decrease in juvenile crime, said the acting Minister of Justice Mr. Jones, dur.ng discussion in the House of Representatives this afternoon when the vote for the Department of Justice and Prisons was debated. .Mr. W. J. Polson (Opp., Stratford) said there was an increase in juvenile crime, and more crimes of violence were being committed. There were too many burglaries inthe cities and too few being detected because of insufficient police staff, and there was far too much pillaging of ships' cargoes. The Minister of Supply, Mr. D. Sullivan, said it would be a pity if Mr. Poison’s remarks were interpreted to mean there was something bad in this country, and that too many crimes were being committed. The position was quite the reverse, and anything said to the contrary was detrimental to the records of the country. New Zealand was showing improved figures in comparison with the records of other countries. The vote was passed.