Life skills learned at Waikune

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 22, 22 October 1985, Page 19

Life skills learned at Waikune

Few people know the productive work which is carried out by inmates of Waikune Prison, near National Park. There is a timber mill, which is likely to have a turnover one million dollars this year, 250 hectares of pinus radiata trees, a boiler, which is manned 24 hours a day to warm the prison, and workshops to maintain vehicles. Prison superintendent, Keith Hounslow, said inmates cooked, cleaned and washed their clothes, and did most the maintenance and building around the prison. "We just supervise and instruct them," he said. The 95 inmates, serving a variety of sentences, are able to handle the minimum security. "If they don't respond they are sent back to a higher security prison," said Mr Hounslow. All prisoners receive a small wage for the work they do with which they can buy books, sweets and cigarettes at cheap prices. The rest of their earnings go back to the government to help pay the $ 1 6,000 it costs to keep each inmate in prison for a year. Inmates who work well in the mill receive a certificate when leaving. Wood for the mill, which has been operating for two years, comes from the Tongariro and Rangipo prisons, on the other side of Mt Ruapehu. Logs are sold on a yearly tender to local contractors. Of the 21 staff.all except one lives at Waikune, while outside instructors are employed to teach the inmates skills to help them prepare for leaving prison. One inmate, a carver, has worked fpr the National Park Community hall and has sold other works. Manv are learning basket weaving, and may sell their work for a small price. Education officers come

to the camp twice a week to teach subjects ranging from remedial reading to university level, and most school subjects are available by correspondence. "We give them everything they are entitled to but if they don't respond, they lose it. If they don't have anything in the first place, they haven't got anything to lose," said Mr Hounslow. The prison holds its own court at which the superintendent can punish inmates for bad behaviour or remand them to a visiting justice of the peace for harsher punishment. "Overall, though, most respond and work well,"

said Mr Hounslow. . The first building on the prison site was a roadmaking camp and timber mill built in the 1920s, while the present prison was built in the 1960s. Mr Hounslow who has been superintendent of the camp for two years, has worked in many prisons, including Paremoemo, the maximum security prison in Auckland. There is a badminton hall, licensed club and children's playground for the staff and their families at the camp. "We have built up a good core of staff who help give the prison a relaxed atmosphere," said Mr Hounslow.