WARDERS NOT WORRYING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 221, 18 March 1914, Page 5

WARDERS NOT WORRYING.

EVIDENTLY AN EASY JOB. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Complaints made by an ex-warder yesterday i that there is acute discontent amongst the warders in Mount Eden Gaol, in common with other warders in similar institutions, were refuted by the gaol governor at Auckland this morning. The warders employed in the Mount Eden Gaol, Mr Ironsides declares, have an easier time than do warders in any other gaol in New Zealand. In the summer-time the men wor'; eight hours per day. and in winter sevi n hours only. Those in the gaol service had far aiid away an easier time than those in t'i> police service, working easier hours mder easier conditions. Ir addition to more regular hour-, the t arders had every second Saturday afternoon off, and - every second Sunday off. Their pay wis 'not so good as that of a police constable to begin with, but after a few service it worked out to very much the same thing. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. NO, GROUND FOR COMPLAINT. . SOME STATEMENTS DEN IK I). ' Wellington, Last Night. The Minister for Jusiiee (tin. Hon, A. L. Herdman), interviewed tn-dav regarding the statements appearing in tinAuckland papers as to the discontent among warder* in the Auckland prison as to the hours of dutv and other matters, stated that tho remarks alleged to have been made bv those warders whose' services have recently. been dispensed with are either inaqcurate or misleadin™. Reeent enquiries had shown bevond question that there is no general ' dis content amongst officers employed in Mount Eden prison. Among them''as among all bodies of men, there are occasional difteienees that require adjustment. ■ Recent onvesfitrntinns into the affairs of Mount Eden Gaol rcsultedjn the disi missal of an officer, who if) pfohabl*' one [of those referred to as having "thrir.vn up his position." Other officers, agiin. wlio are found unfit for heir win'- •■ prison warders, are souk .in.es "allowed Vo resign." and this, of : Hirse some times leads to of the kind now being dealt with. / ; In regard to iW. alleged <liseonte'nt in I'esiieet to the hours which (he men on night'duty work. Mr Ilerdman ' ' ' out that, although *.hes/> men w- iv- ; nlyllv ■.on duty from 5.90 run. t" ;.:,!) a.m.. the night- watch consisted of two. men, each'of whom had live hours' >!,.,.n during t\at time. In am- ease tH duty was''taken in rotation, i.n'l n.> ■■•< officer wassailed uuon to do light diit v of this'character more than a fortni'"hl in r\'erv five, month;..

The statement that wanleis were required to- work from nin- to ten hour* a day. the Minister added, vas unite misleading, as it would indicate that that Was the average time ner da'' workefd by each warder all the year round, which was far" from being the case, even during the summer months 'while in the winter the wor'i ceases o.yc hour earjier and the staff, of course, «ets the full'benefit of this concession. The comparison with prisons in other countries showed that the hours worked in N"e\v Zealand were less than those worked elsewhere. Another misstatement made, said Mr ITordman, was in regard to the number of warders that were omolO'-ed to look after 300 prisoners. As (. .natter of fact, "the nti'mber of male warders employed in the prison is 40 (not 48. as stated), a,H;d the average number of male prisoners, they are called upon to supervise is 2(10 'per da<- (not 300 L Mr Hordman further stated that, in regard to the highly-colored statements as to the night watch officers' room being infested with vermij- bugs. etc.. it was only quite recent! ' that am'complaint iri'tnTs direction i.as marie t" the Department. An inspecting officer 'immodiatelv-'Piiqiiired into this matter and on finding that these .insects had occasionally 'been seen in the room in question instructions were fiven tba; a room'in the main stone builcini; was to be prepared at once for officers on night duty, find that fc\c quarters hit he; to used were io he ' irel abandoned. "ft seems •'strange /' concluded the Miniutr; '-'that whi ■ ] visiter! u Eden fiaol at the begmiiin . of the vear no complaint was made tr. me. 1 went over the p.-isii with the (.aoler. and T certainly ran. }<\ the op.nio that the institution .t'i..j managed .idmi.alrlv. and thiit everything was worlii.g quit" Biuoothly."