Prison business for Taumarunui County?

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 238, 5 April 1988, Page 4

Prison business for Taumarunui County?

The Taumarunui County Council might go into the business of running a prison. Frustration at the lack of action at Waikune Prison, and the desire to see it reopen as a penal institute rather than as ski/tourism accommodation, has seen the council put a specific enquiry on options to the Government.

County Chairman Mr Don Middleton said the council had yet to get a reply. "It probably created quite a shock in Wellington." The option favoured most by councillors (if the Government won't re-open the prison itself), is for the council to negotiate some appropriate lease or purchase and provide the administration hiring

wardens from the Justice Department. But Mr Middleton said there didn't seem to be anything in legislation to stop the council hiring its own staff and running it as a private institution in the same manner as a private hospital. The council could contract to house inmates with cost likely to be a governing criteria.

Mr Middleton said his council had been accused of trying to influence future use of Waikune by virtue of town planning procedures.

"That's utter nonsense and unfair because it will go through the normal (town planning hearing) procedures where the council is only an adjudicator be-

tween an applicant and any objectors." The indications were there there is likely to be "substantial opposition" to Waikune's use for tourism/ski industry purposes. Mr Middleton said the national parks board, MOWD and existing tourism operators - plus the county council itself have a concern about proliferation of such ventures outside established towns like National Park, Ohakune and Turangi. The county council

had also been accused of bias in the matter because it has recently built a sewerage and water scheme for National Park and it has been perceived it wants it fully utilised. "In terms of town planning hearings that certainly can't be used as a basis to influence a decision," he said. The prison already has full services for housing inmates and wardens for use as some sort of training centre.