"IRRESPONSIBLE."

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 186, 9 August 1927, Page 5

"IRRESPONSIBLE."

BARRISTER'S CRITICISM, j tbeatmint or degeneeatx. REPLY BY DEPARTMENT. — X-:.-^raph.—Otj Correspondent.) ELLLNijTuX, this dav. reror'ing the remarks of J Mr. :is n.•arc-in. counsel for Fraucis Co'ouru. who -xas yes-, teruay a* Auckland for indecent assault -inc senou - o ii-:- on bovs». ::on. _E;.r„ R. A.'Vfe"w{; Stated tea: ne nao r=c*iva<i the following rei ort cn c.:ij ea-e rrom the Department:— vv a.-; Erst admitted to the L '\-~ training rarsi at V, eraria in August. IVi". at the age of 14♦. at the ; -"y 4 ---—J habit-?. He was in residence there intermittently for a period ..f two years until he "was com- ' mitted to a mental hospital in !Sr2i •' a>-d .ie »vas detained tnere for iive vears I Ho as nr*t committed to the care of I tne Department on account of his thiev-; ingjind generally depraved habits. r rom tne day he nrst came under tne Department s notice he was a continual source or trouble and anxiety 'aose over him. Every o:scer who ! -ad dea.-.ng? with him reported most ' adversely on his conduct and generally" dc-praveu habits which were : formed prior to his admission to Wera-' r °a. Tne then manager of the training farm reported at the time that the boy was the worst he had ever met. taa>- ne nad iost an sense oi shame or mora, responsibility, that He was not ■■ o a«oc.ate with ta® other inmates at Weraroa and that during his stay he had to be watched day and mgnt and had to be kept entirely arart -- '"i tae oth-r inmates. i.ne statements reported to have been, made by counsel are n ;-t cmly ccntrarv I y :a v- — :a " a-? Ccburn is concerned, Jiiu s2o'» .a entire iacK of knowledge ■"t tne sy-tem or classification and! .ra.n.ng is earned at tne coy-' train-' 'arm. t_»r.e can well imagine that , sum irresponsioie statements may cause I anxiety to the relatives of those who •' hare passed through the trainiaz farm ana oe a.so regarded as a slur on those iads themselves. ; "j.ne Department can. however, assure ■ pu~.;c *ri* 15 no for anxiety in this respect, that the welfare o: tne boys admitted is ampiy safe- ' guaraed cy a suitable, competent stall. ; and tnat tne nest pr>?f ..if this lies in tie number of old boys who revisit the Tarm. or "wrrite letters to tn* management, and in the manv parents who hare expressed their thankiUme?- for 1.. tnat tne training farm nas been able to do for their bovs."' I