PRISONERS’ TREATMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 730, 1 August 1929, Page 7

PRISONERS’ TREATMENT

NO TROUT MEAL FOR BOARD CONDITIONS AT WAIKUNE (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A categorical denial of allegations made by Mr. F. Langstone (Waimarino) concerning the treatment of prisoners at the Waikune prison camp, and an illegal fresh trout meal for the Prisons Board was made by the Minister of Justice, the Hon. T. M. Wilford, in an answer to the House of Representatives today. Mr. Wilford replied:—(l) It is neither the policy nor the practice of the Prisons Department to work prisoners at National Park Station from 7.30 a.m. to 8 p.ru. (2) (a) Prisoners were not promised extra food or tobacco for working on Sundays. (Extra food in the shape of butter is given only on prescription by the medical officer); (b) The Prisons Board visited Waikune on March 6. Trout was not secured illicitly, nor were the members of the board provided with trout; (c) Prisoners were not promised afternoon tea or cakes if they worked while wet through on March 9, nor any other date. Prisoners were not required to work under such conditions; (d) Prisoners employed at the National Park are not compelled to work in snow; (e) The prescribed working-hours are beiug adhered to at Waikune. It is not correct that it is often after 5 p.m. before prisoners are returned to camp. Prisoners are not threatened with penalties for asking a warder the time of day.