TO GUIDE THE WAYWARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 207, 30 August 1916, Page 9

TO GUIDE THE WAYWARD.

SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMME. WORK IN THE COURTS. AN AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION. Some interesting incidents of the lile of the superintendent of the Auckland Presbyterian Social Service Association . are recorded in the annual report of the organisation, which is to be presented to the annual meeting on Thursday night -next. After an expression of thanks to those who have supported the ttovement which is now at the close of the second year of its existence in Auckland, Mr. Frank R. Jeffreys, the superintendent and probation officer, goes on to refer to the distribution of the various activities of the late city mission, in order to make room for P-S.SA. development. He states that the principal fields of operation in all centres are in the "law courts. In fact, the greater part of the probation work hi the iour main centres in New Zealand was carried on by P-S.SA. workers. .The repoTt proceeds:—ln the course of my .duties I have attended the lower Court 176 times, and the Supreme Court 47 times during the year. When I took over the probation work in the middle of July, 1915, there were nine cases transferred to my care, and since then I have received from the Police 3ourt and Supreme Court up to June 30th, 51 Hew cases. Tin's is, perhaps, a record. Under this head, with transfers, etc., from otbex districts. I have handled OS jTobationers, entailing 691 visits, interlews, reports, etc. It is quite possible that many of these probationers would nave had to go to gaol, which so often means the hardening to a life of crime and a constant cost upon the State. The great majority of these first offenders are young people, and so far there have been very few failures, while there have been outstanding instances of success. The principal object of the P.S.S.A is the guardianship of young lives and the formation of strong characters, as well as the care for and protection of the orphan and the destitute. "Apart from the foregoing." says Mr. Jeffreys, "as Police Court Missionary I Was able to help 35 different persons in different ways, involving 98 recorded interviews, reports, etc, during the year. A typical case under this head is that of- a man with live children and a delicate wife. He had stolen food for his little ones, and .was in a sad state when brought before the Court, but was given a chance by the magistrate. This whole family was sent far into the country at considerable cost, which has Bince been more than fully refunded. This family, 35 well as others, is being kept in touch ■with. One hundred and forty-three persons interviewed mc 237 recorded times, relating to various troubles —family matters. need for work, unruly children, ™- Many of these cases required a good deal of time to give the help and advice sought for. Apart from these, there were 15 cases, involving 28 interviews, of domestic infelicity. These cases are often extremely sad, and very difficult to decide, but I have done my best to give advice and help to -meet the difficulty. Forty applications were made by employers seeking workers, and in many instances I have been able to thus place those who have come seeking •ssistance."

In a reference to a home for boys, the j superintendent states that:—"This has been brought .considerably nearer by the prospect of the transactions between the Leslie Orphanage Trustees and the Presbytery..soon being consummated. 1 found it necessary, however, in the interests of certain children that were brqughtfjUrrcJcr my notice, to launch out and make at least temporary' provision for them. To do this a roomy house' was taken, and we moved into it on the 3rd"of March. At the 30th June we had nine boys and two girls in residence j with us. None of these children have come from the courts. It is not our intention to take in more •iris." Mr. I Jeffreys refers to the help that has always been forthcoming when he has endeavoured to undertake some new and pressing work for which there seemed to be no present promise of support. For instance:—"Just when the first lot came to us there also arrived a veiy fine supply of produce from Bombay; and it is a fact, that every time we have received a fresh child into our house provision has been made for it. The initial cost of starting out was heavy, but a run of weddings, with over £10 in fees, came along, and thus the need was met. The Charitable Aid Board allows / per week per head for four children- For some of them we re : eefvc'various amounts in maintenance, and for others nothing at all. The total amount received from all sources for •rri-aintenaiice for the four months came to £2S 9/. Dr. Russell, Mount Eden, is kindly acting as honorary medical officer.?' »»•■•.. The officers of the P.S.SA. are as folRev. Robert Inglis. M.A.;-hon. secretary, Mr- Douglas Gor- ( don: hon. treasurer, Mr. R. L. Steww-Tt <srrnmittcc, Revs. I. Jolly, M.A., D I). Scott.-G.--B. 'Monro, R. L. Walker, William McDonald, Messrs. John Fleming. J. W r . Ryburn, Jas. Fitzgerald, -las. Robertson, Duncan Macpherson, Arthur Wilson, J. A. Bradstreet, A. H. Wilkinson (resigned), J. Stewart. Gordon Dennison.^ The treasurer's statement shows the income to have been £524 IS/7. which is £122 10/G in excess of the expendi-. ture. A sum of £10 is in the bank to ■the credit of the Boys' Home Fund.