CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 76, 2 April 1897, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE CURFEW BELL

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Our Parliament ab its lasb session considered a measure to lessen the' evil of young people being on the streets to a late hour.

The greab euccees of the Curfew Bell in Canada and America would show that it is in She right direction. When the Children's Law was being considered by the Ontario Government; in 1892, it was decided to give permissive legislation on the Curfew question, and the following section was plaped in the statute :— . "(1) Municipal councils in cities, towns, and incorporated villages shall havo powar to pass.by-laws for the regulation of the time aftor which children shall not be in the streets ab nightfall without proper guardianship, and the age, or apparent age, of boya and girls respectively, under which they shall bo required to be in fcheir homes at the hour appointed, and such municipal council ehall in such case cause a boll or belle to be rung at or near the appointed time, as a warning, co be called tho 'Curfew Ball,' after which tho children co required to ba in their homes or off the streets shall not be found upon the public abreeba excepb under proper control or guardianship, or for oomo unavoidable cause. " (2) Any child so found after the time appointed shall be liuble to bo warned by any constable or peace officer to go home, and if after such warning the child shall be found loitering on the streets such child may be taken by euch constable to its homo. " (3) Any parent or guardian may be summoned for permitting his child to habitually break eaid by-law after having boen warned in writing, and may be fined for the first offence $1, without costa, and for the second offenco $2, and for a bhird, or any subsequent offence, §5." The provisions are so excellent, and the effecbso beneficial, that it is worth considering whether we should nob adopb a similar measure, which is law in some thirty cities and towns in tho province cf Ontario alone. In some parta of Canada the W.C.T.U. are actively promoting the adoption of bhe law. Eight o'clock in winter and nine in summer appears to bo the hours moat in favour. The earlier cloeiug of shopa would lessen the attracbion for strolling the streets so_ lafce.—l am, etc.,

Southern Cross.