JUVENILE COURTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 301, 20 December 1928, Page 12

JUVENILE COURTS.

IS SECRECY DESIRABLE?

MAGISTRATE'S DOUBTS.

"TENDENCIES TO THINK ABOUT."

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) HAWERA, Wednesday. Feelings of perturbation concerning the conduct and policy of Child Welfare Courte in the Dominion were indicated by Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court to-day when, in replying to farewells voiced in view of his departure for Wellington, he referred to remarks made by Mr. D. Dixon, JJ\, who had complimented Mr. Barton on his treatment of cases in the Juvenile Court.

Addressing particularly the several justices who part of the farewell gathering, Mr. Barton said that speaking as a citizen interested in child welfare work to the justices, who were also citizens interested in such work, he thought there were tendencies they should watch and think about. The best preventive and remedial factor would be a wellinformed public conscience and an intelligent and wise standard of requirements for youth. With this in view he suggested they ask themselves: "Are you satisfied it is wise to pre-judge that in all cases, irrespective of the nature of the offence and the public interests involved, the Press should be excluded; that, irrespective of the offence, the temperament of the offender and his attempts to inculpate others, his name must be suppressed; and'that irrespective of the bearing of • a youth of 16 J years toward authority and the country's ideals he must be brought into a. room shorn of all the appearance of the surrounding of a Court?"

Mr. Barton said he did not wish to make recommendations, but wished that thought should be given to the subject. Hβ asked the justices whether they saw any reason to fear that the present policy might have the effect of lulling the public into the belief that little or no juvenile crime existed. If so it was a matter which called for serious attention."