NATION BUILDING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 196, 21 August 1933, Page 8

NATION BUILDING.

CHILD WELFARE.

WORK OF DEPARTMENT. BIG BROTHER MOVEMENT. "It is tlic natural right of every child to have a home, parents and home associations." That, said Mr. S. Cupit, child welfare oflicer, in an address delivered to-day to Auckland Rotarians, was the principle underlying the Child Welfare Act, which was passed in 1923. The Act practically stamped the boarding-out system as the official policy of the Department for normal children. Where a child had .been unfortunate enough to be born of parents unworthy of it, or into a homo that had proved too poor to take care of it, the State found suitable people who would take charge of the child, and paid them for so doing. The child was then regularly visited and its health and progress were keenly watched. In that supervision the Department had for years past received great help from an organisation known a<s the Big Brother movement. That movement was first started by the Auckland Y.M.C.A. eleven years ago, and soon afterwards a similar movement was commenced by the Roman Catholic Church to meet the requirements of the Roman Catholic children. It would easily be understood that where there were 100 to 150 homes to be visited, it was almost impossible for the State officers to pay that detailed attention to each case which was desirable and necessary. It was at 'that point that the Big Brother movement proved of great assistance. The great value of its work was shown by the fact that only about 3 per cent of the children appearing before the Courts made a second appearance. During the past 10 years approximately 1000 boys had passed through the hands of the Big Brothers, and from the fact that approximately 97 per cent of those boys had developed into normal, decent citizens, the value of the work would be appreciated. The value was further enhanced when it was realised that the Big Brother was a volunteer. Children's Courts. The act of 1025, said Mr. Cupit, made provision for the establishment of children's courts, which a year later became a special tribunal solely to deal with offencci? by children. The principle outlying the legislation was the protection and care of the child who, in many cases, had been more sinned against than sinning. Publicity of proceedings was prohibited to the extent that the identity of the offenders must not be disclosed. In proposing a vote of thanks to the speaker, Rotarian Sir Joseph Smith said the welfare work which had been dealt with might aptly be described as nation building.