PRISONERS UNDER CANVAS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 319, 30 October 1915, Page 2

PRISONERS UNDER CANVAS.

CAMPED ON THE WAIMARINOTOKAANU ROAD.

VISITED BY MINISTER OF JUSTICE

On his way North from Wellington the Minister of Justice (the Hon. Dr. McNab) paid his first official visit to the prison camps in the Tongariro National Park. Leaving the train at Waimarino the Minister and ihis private secretary' (Mr J. W. Black) drove a distance of five miles towards the interior mountains, and inspected the first camp, which contains about 45 prisoners. Then the visitors set out on a four miles tramp to the second camp, where ia smaller number iof men are located.

The inmates of these camps are engaged on tihe construction of a road which will ultimately extend from Waimarino, round the northern side of Tongariro, and on to Tokaanu, on the southern shores of Lake Taupo. So far the road has been constructed for a distance of ten miles. Its completion will probably be a matter of years. The work of the prisoners is perjhaps slow, but nevertheless sure, and the Ministre says that an excellent job is being made of the work. Special care is being taken to have good approaches to the numerous bridges, which in some cases cress swift-running streams, so that f|he road may be used with perfect safe'ty by motor-cars. A rather curious feature of the second camp is that its prison inmates are guarded by nothing more substantial than canvas structures. But they are mostly good condurt prisoners who" have established a claim ot consideration by the Appeal Beard, witlh a view ' to reduction of sentences. The first and larger camp consists of a number of huts, each prisoner having one to himself. The Minister fuend that the men were being properly cared for, and also that they were doing a lot of useful work.