JUVENILES AND CRIME.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7252, 7 March 1889, Page 6

JUVENILES AND CRIME.

MEETING OP JUSTICES. Yesterday afternoon a meeting of Justices took place at the Resident Magistrate's Courthouse to consider what methods would be the best to adopt for lessening crime among children. Mr Caleb Whitefoord, R.M., presided, and among those who were present were—Messrs Westenra, Kimbell, Curry, Acland, Bowden, Scott, Gapes, Ayers, Johnston, HillFisher, Hall, Ruddenklau, Harris, Forrescer, Neave, Guinness, Rev. T. Flavell, •Dr. Deamer, Mayor of Christchurch, and Inspector Pender. Mr Whitefoord, in opening the proceedings, said he was much obliged for the response to the invitation asking those present to meet for the purpose of discussing the question which interested all just now as much as it did himself. He had taken upon himself to call them together in virtue of his position as Acting Resident Magistrate of Christchurch. He thought it advisable to wait until Mr Beethams return, but after consultation with Justices and several gentlemen of position in Cliristchurch, it was thought better, as time was drawing on, to meet at once. He regretted it because Mr Beethain was a gentleman who had had a deal of experience, and one who would have added his best advice and experience. But as he •would not return until the end of the month, as the matter was pressing, and it was imperative that it should be brought before Parliament, he (the Chairman) had taken the step, and he was sure that Mr Beetham would not misunderstand him when it was explained. The question ■with regard to the dealing with juvenile criminals had come before the Court for some time, and had occupied hie attention as well as that of a great many other gentlemen who sat frequently at the Court. It had been prominently brought under their notice whether the means at their disposal were the best for suppressing the class of crime referred to, and whether or not it ■would be better to call a meeting of Justices to devise some better means for dealing with the question. The way he had looked upon it was this : There was the greatest repugnance and dislike in the first instance on the part of any Just'.ce in sending a young lad to gaol for the first time, because they all felt the amount of responsibility in regard to a boy being sent among associates who might injure him for life. They were at the same time assisted by the gaolers, who separated the lads sent to them as well as they possibly could. But the fact of a boy being in gaol must injure his future career to a great extent. They had Burnham to send them to. If they were criminals they ran the risk of sending them among boys who were honest so far as they themselves were concerned, and were only in there through poverty. They would thus contaminate those boys who •were amenable to discipline. On the other hand, if the lads were turned adrift with a severe caution, their young companions •were struck with the fact that the Magistrates were loath to convict, and the result was that other boys committed crimes, expecting to escape punishment. It had struck him that the parents should be made responsible for the proper custody and control of their children up to a certain age. It had been said that it was an un-English way of dealing with the difficulty, but if it were the right and proper mode of trying to bring about a sense of responsibility in the minds of those parents who evidently wish to try to ignore it, than it was the duty of the . meeting to bring before the Government such recommendations as would result in that object being attained. It was no doubt punishing the parents for the sins of their children, but people who kept dumb animals bad to keep them in proper control, and why should parents not do so with their children, to whom they were bound by all human responsibility? He did not think there was anything objectionable in making parents responsible for the proper custody and control of their children. Another thing came forcibly before his mind. The various School Committees might be induced to press the compulsory clauses of the Education Act. In some districts, notably Kaiapoi, the clauses had been introduced for some time, and with beneficial effect. The parents were found responsible for the absence of their children from school and as a consequent the children attended very regularly. Another fertile source of juvenile crime they had been dealing with, and he had consulted Mr Pender upon it. There was a class of second-hand dealers who bought stolen articles from the children. The question was open for discussion whether it was advisable to license them. It had been said that to suppress crime was to get at the root of the evil, that was at the moral training of the children in their homes. They were dealing with the evil as Magistrates, and it was not part of their duty to see to the moral training of the children at home. If a few philanthropic gentlemen took up this latter matter we should not have the present state of things existing. The apathy and neglect of the parents in the first place led to their children becoming confirmed criminals. He proposed to ask Mr Walker to read a report of a meeting of Justices .held in Auckland. He had communicated with Dr. Giles on the matter, and it would be for this meeting to either confirm the resolutions passed in Auckland, or carry one which would strengthen them. He <Mr Whitefoord) felt very strongly about the punishment of lads, and he thought that if the Government could be induced to introduce a sea-going training ship it would be the best punishment possible for them. It would be better than sending them to Burnham or gaol. He had spoken to the Premier and the Minister of Justice on the matter of a training vessel, and they appeared to take great interest in it. Mr Carew, of Dunedin, was strongly in favor of a training ship, but was afraid the undertaking would be too costly for the Government. He (Mr Whitefoord) thought that if the English Government were approached in a proper manner it would present the colony with one of the obsolete gunboats. , Several apologies were made, and letters were referred to from gentlemen unable to attend, but all sympathisers with the object of the meeting. Mr Walker then read the report from the Auckland Herald, February 14th, of the meeting of Justices heM there. Mr F. J. KiMfeElx said that Government were at fault in not separating the criminal class from the waifs and strays at Burnham. He would like to see Burnham used for one class and Caversham for another, so that the two classes would not associate. If this could not be done, then let each province have two separate institutions. At the same time, he thought nothing surpassed a .training ship for the criminal lads. As to punishment, he oould say nothing. He would suggest that something similar to what he had .mentioned should be embodied in any resolutions sent to Government. The Mayor of Christchurch said the community owed a debt of thanks to Mr Whitefoord for calling the meeting. The subject under discussion was of very great importance. There was a tendency among -many young people to lapse into criminal practices, ana it would be a serious thing if means were not adopted to check the evil. He did not think the meeting could get far away from the ideas set forth by Mr Whitefoord and the report of the Auckland meeting. He concurred in the remarks •which bad been made that the two classes at Burnham should be placed in different establishments built in different localities. He, however, was much in favor of a training ship as a means of reformation and of providing the lads with a way of earning a livelihood. The lads would be well disciplined and probably well fitted to be drafted into the navy or mercantile service. Training ships had been granted to Victoria and jfew South Wales, and he saw no reason why New Zealand could not be similarly treated. Concerning the responsibility of parents, he thought it was only fair that they should be made responsible for the good behavior of their children. Mr Westejtera felt with the others who had spoken, that the blame rested on the parents, and what had been suggested was the best thing to do. As far as he was concerned, he did not approve of whipping, as it was not effective in its results. He quite agreed with the suggestions of the Auckland Magistrates, with the exception of disfranchising parents. This would do no good. Mr Curry believed in trying first to prevent crime, and referred to the excellent result from the Boys' Brigade which, unfortunately, died out through want of funds. If such institutions were revived, at which boys were taught habits of honesty and thrift, it wouldbe better than Revising means for punishing them if they became criminals. Mr Ruddenkxatt expressed similar views, and would like to see boys sent off the streets at 8 p.m. in summertime and 7 p.m. in, winter. Those offending

should be sent to such classes as already referred to and compelled to attend, and children neglected by their parents should be treated in a like manner. Mr GmNNESs pointed to the number of young girls who were allowed about the streets at all hours, and suggested that some means should be adopted to prevent them doing so. Mr Pender said all must come to the conclusion that there was no more important question in the administration of justice than that under discussion. He had prepared a return for the last five years. It showed that 275 boys had been brought before the Court, arrested or summonsed for various offences. Out of this number 199 could read and write, 10 could read only, 66 had had no education, 81 had been whipped, and of that number 37 had been rearrested. He had come to the conclusion that whipping was not the best punishment, and he did not like young children put through the demoralising process of being arrested and dragged before a public Court. He would like to see first offenders treated in a manner which would not have a demoralising effect. They should not be brought before the Court at all. Their cases should be investigated by the police and the Magistrates privately. He had observed that parents were a great deal to blame for the courses pursued by their children, and drunkenness was one cause of crime. Among children it was very scarce, as during the five years only three boys under eighteen had been arrested for it. He approved of a training-ship for boys, and said that the system of mixing children at Burnham was a bad system. There had been an increase of juvenile criminals of late years. There was a great deal of truth in Mr Guinness's remarks, but he was unable to suggest the means of dealing with their case unless some influence could be brought to bear to bring them to such places as suggested by Mr Curry. Mr Gapes having spoken on the matter, moved—"That Messrs Whitefoord, Kimbell, Westenra, the Mayor of Christchurch, and the Mayor of St. Albans be appointed a Committee, with power to a/Id to their number, to draw up a report and present it at a future meeting." Mr Forrester seconded the motion. In reply to Mr Scott, Mr Pexder said there was great need of something being done with those secondhand dealers who bought indiscriminately from children. The shops were becoming a great nuisance, as well as an incentive to crime. His Worship the Mayor would like to see the shops licensed. The motion was put and carried.