Prisoners offered newspapers to boost literacy

Lady Heeni Phillips-Williams addresses the Sir Peter Williams QC Penal Reform conference. Photo / Supplied.

A prison reform group has joined forces with a Northland rich-lister to encourage inmates to improve their reading skills.

Ngawha Prison now has the Northern Advocate and New Zealand Herald delivered daily to its library in an educational initiative announced on Saturday by the Sir Peter Williams QC Penal Reform League in conjunction with sponsor Peter Kraus.

Bay of Island resident Mr Kraus was described on the NBR Rich List last year as being worth $115 million.

He lives on a $3 million property in Kerikeri and his Ebos Group is Australasia's largest and most diversified healthcare, medical and pharmaceutical product supplier.

Mr Kraus said: "Newspapers in all prison libraries was something to aim for."

Acting prison director Mike Rongo of Ngawha Prison received the newspapers at the League's inaugural conference at Russell on Saturday.

He reinforced the Ministry of Correction's commitment to the rehabilitation and education of prisoners.

The Northland Region Corrections Facility, near Ngawha, was built in 2005 and has a capacity of 628 prisoners, categorised from minimum to high security.

Corrections Minister Louise Upston also supported the scheme when she learnt of the educational initiative.

"Reading a daily paper is something many of us take for granted. For prisoners they will be a valuable literacy aid."

League Presidents Arthur Fairley and Lady Heeni Phillips-Williams said the inaugural conference was a huge success.

New Zealand's top DNA expert Dr Arie Geursen was guest speaker.

He has been a valuable expert in many trials where miscarriages of justice would have occurred had it not been for his expertise and knowledge.

Other speakers included Odyssey House counsellor, Hamish Oakley-Brown, as well as the legal fraternity travelling from Auckland and Whangarei in bad weather for a successful conference.

The Prison Reform Society, which was formed in 2011, was renamed The Sir Peter Williams QC Penal Reform League in late 2015.

Sir Peter died, aged 80, in June 2015 after a career marked by many high-profile defences. He advocated tirelessly for more humane treatment of prisoners.

Sir Peter's widow Lady Heeni initiated the Northland branch to continue his legacy.