PRIVACY FOR PRISONERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 62, 4 June 1927, Page 11

PRIVACY FOR PRISONERS

CONDITIONS AT WELLINGTON MR. DOLAN COMPLAINS (Prom Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. Complaint regarding the facilities afforded counsel for interviewing prisoners was made in court to-day by Mr. B. J. Dolan, appearing for an accused man in a theft case. “The facilities here,” he said, “are worse than in any centre of the Dominion. Counsel for summary offenders frequently receive instructions in the passage of the court, which is most unsatisfactory, particularly with the police moving about, and the general noise of the court. No special room is provided at the police station and you feel you are depriving the official of the room into which you are shown for an interview-. In the gaol the place is fitted with old-fashioned ear-holes and, while I do not suggest that the officials, or prisoners next door, use them, the state of tilings is most unsatisfactory. "When a man is charged with a serious offence he should be given absolute privacy for an interview with the instructed counsel.” Mr. E. Page. S.M.: If you submit your complaint in writing to me I will see that the matter is investigated by the department. Senior-Sergeant Lander said every facility was given to interview prison- | ers, and counsel allowed to remain with them as long as they cared to do so. “We lay ourselves out to give them this privilege,” he said. Mr. Dolan: I have no complaint against officials. It is just with regard to facilities provided for these things to be done. In fact the senior-ser-geant has frequently given me his own room. Matters at the Terrace Gaol are old-fashioned and you will see the difficulty facing counsel. Mr. Page: I will see if any improvement can be effected