AI Chat Search Browse Media On This Day Map Quotations Timeline Research Free Datasets Remembered About Contact
☶ Go up a page

S.m. Defends Auckland Prison Administration (Press, 22 December 1964)

This is a Generative AI summary of this newspaper article. It may contain errors or omissions. Please note that the language in the summary is reflective of the original article and the societal attitudes of the time in which it was written.

Summary: S.m. Defends Auckland Prison Administration (Press, 22 December 1964)

A report released on 21 December 1964 by Mr A. A. Coates, S.M., following an inquiry into conditions at Mount Eden prison, Auckland, criticises sensationalist coverage by the Sunday News, labelling it "irresponsible journalism". Mr Coates contended that the article exaggerated issues regarding prisoner treatment by prison staff, despite acknowledging the existence of homosexual conduct, bookmaking, illicit brewing, and fighting among inmates. He affirmed the sound administration of the prison and praised the staff for their performance under challenging conditions, noting a lack of serious complaints about the current administration under the present superintendent, who is recommended as capable and efficient. Mr Coates described the prison's overcrowding, structural issues, and inadequacies as factors affecting discipline and control. Nonetheless, he noted that isolated unlawful acts occur, but such behaviour is not condoned by staff, who maintain strict supervision to prevent and address these incidents effectively. The report asserted that any allegations claiming rampant unlawful behaviour within the prison lacked substantiation. On the topic of homosexual conduct, Mr Coates acknowledged that it is expected in a confined male population but maintained that the current superintendent was implementing measures to address this, including placing known homosexuals in separate cells with close supervision. Regarding bookmaking, Coates noted that inmates engage in it as a pastime, with tobacco and chocolate serving as currency, stating that discouraging it could instigate serious unrest. He mentioned that while trafficking among inmates is difficult to control, prison staff conduct regular searches to mitigate this activity. The illicit brewing of alcohol within the prison is a notable issue, with officers actively monitoring and confiscating such brews, despite the cleverness of some inmates in eluding detection. Similarly, fighting is common among inmates as tensions can lead to physical confrontations; however, it was reported that staff typically intervene during such occurrences. While there may have been instances where officers allowed fights to take place among evenly matched individuals, the overall impression was one of prompt intervention. Mr Coates also emphasised that inmates receive adequate medical care and that there was no evidence of delays or inadequacies in medical assistance. Furthermore, regarding the use of force by prison officers, he reported a consensus among witnesses that physical force was not excessively or unlawfully applied, generally being limited to situations requiring restraint or self-defence. In summary, Mr Coates' investigation found that while certain issues exist within Mount Eden prison, the overall administration is competent, and the sensational claims made by the Sunday News were unfounded in significant respects. The report seeks to provide a clearer picture of the prison's realities, counteracting the panic and discontent fostered by misleading journalism.

Important Information

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

Creative Commons Licence The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand

Publish Date:22nd December 1964
URL:https://www.pridenz.com/paperspast_chp19641222_2_122.html