A HUTT VALLEY PRISON?

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 128, 3 June 1919, Page 6

A HUTT VALLEY PRISON?

The Government's proposal to plant a prison near Heretaunga and Trentham, in the lower part of the upper section of the Hutt Valley, is being sharply criticised. The Minister for Justice, Mr. Wilford, the Ministerial head of prison activities, is also M.P for Hutt, and some people are wondering why he is a party to burdening the Valley with such a Greek gift -as a prison-house, which must inevitably inflame local susceptibilities; but as Mr. Wilford is absent from Wellington, we do not propose at present to take sides. We would prefer to hear Mr. Wilford himself say something in his own, and the Government's, defence. But it is fair at this stage to point out that there is a primsi facie case against putting a new prison in any locality that is visibly destined to become, within no very long period, a place of close suburban settlement. That'objection is.not peculiar to Heretaunga or Trentham. It applies to any area of flat land suitable, by situation and access, to accommodate the overflow of a congested and rapidly-growing city. It is, moreover, an objection that will not bo met except by special considerations based on unusual circumstances; and if the latter exist, the Minister for Justice should lose no time in communicating them to the public. It is true that aMinister's duty is to serve his country rather than his constituents. But is his country better served by populating sub-ui-ban lands, or by de-popularising them through the erection of certain institutions? Are there not equally good sites to which such objection does not apply?