REVISION NEEDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 269, 12 November 1937, Page 8

REVISION NEEDED.

CHILD WELFARE ACT. MAGISTRATE'S COMMENT. ASSOCIATES THANKED. "The Child Welfare Avt under which we have been working became law in l!>2.">. ami liar* been amended. J think you will agree that the time is ri|»i fin- a further revision,'" said Mr. Wyvern Wilson. N.M.. in the Children's Court morning. "We who have been doing the work know the difficulties that luave" Iw-et us «nd the officers of the Child Welfare Department."

Mr. Wilson'* remarks were made in the cour«e of a farewell address to his associate* in the C-ourt. the social workers and the police, to-day being the last- occasion on which he will preside :• t a sitting of the Children's Court Ivelore retiring from the magisterial bench. He. and Mrs. \\ ilson intend to make an extended tour abroad. •'Juvenile delinquency is attributable in most instances to lack .of parental control." said Mr. Wilson. "11l England the Juvenile Court can bind over the parents to exercise a proper guardianship over their children. There are many other aspects of the English Act which encourage individual rcsponsibi!" *•« . It is useless to put all the responsibility for errant children on the State nature intended the parents to look after their children and any regulations that tend to lessen that individual responsibility are to be deprecated. It is far better to make parents responsible. Started in Childhood. "At times it has been very difficult and very unpleasant here." the magistrate continued, "but somebody has got to give up his time to - keep errant juveniles on the right path. You (his associates) have been giving up your private time to this good work, and yon deserve thanks. I know how close to vour hearts it has been. It lias been verv close to my heart, too. because I know how many criminal careers arc started in childhood. It is the effect of a bad lioinc and the hereditary influence that starts a life of crime. This Court is the place where those influences may be guided and those tendencies checked. ''To the social workers who In:ve attended here to assist in the deliberations of the Court and to supervise children who have got into difficulties, I wish to extend my thanks." The good wishes of the associates were extended by Mr. J. C. Entriean, who said that it had been a privilege ami a pleasure to work with Mr. Wilson. The magistrate had always given courteous consideration to suggestions. Miss 15. Carnachan also spoke. The Rev. H. A. Johnston spoke on [ behalf of the social workers. Senior j Sergeant Caldwell on behalf of the | police, and Mr. R. H. Donaldson, actingI chief of the Child Welfare Department, for his department.