JUVENILE CRIME.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7258, 14 March 1889, Page 6

JUVENILE CRIME.

At yesterday's meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery the Rev. P. R. Munro said that there was one matter he wished to speak of before the business was concluded. It was the matter of juvenile crime, which had been taken up and was by Justices of the Peace, not only in Christchurch, but in other parts of New Zealand. In a certain sense it was also a matter for ministers, and especiallr for all those who we ** concerned in the social well-beinj? of the community. He had, through the importance of the question, brought it up at that meeting. It was unnece-ssary for him to take up tneir time, as they were all acquainted with the state cf things just as well as he was. He thought that the Presbytery should look into it, get a finding, and communicate with those who were moving in the matter, in order to strengthen their hands, and say that they the Presbytery) sympathised with their efforts to suppress crime among children. It was of the highest concern, the juvenile delinquencies in such a young country as this being nothing short of a calamity. He referred also to the Truant School system at Home which was a kind of Industrial School without the inmates carrying away the stigma of criminals, and it had, so far as he knew, worked very well. The unruly ones were also very carefully watched, both as regarded their home life and moral training. He would be prepared to move a motion of sympathy with the movement. The Rev. H. Irwin suggested that something should be done to help those who were dealing with this question and that of social purity. The Rev. Mr Cree did not think the Presbytery could go further that day than expressing sympathy. The Rev. Mr Munro was of the same opiuion, as the meeting of Justices had appointed a Committee to draw up a report. The Rev. Mr Webster suggested that the report should be first brought up, then the Presbytery would have a basis upon which to work. After a little further conversation it was deemed advisable to follow out the Rev. Mr Webster's suggestion. The Presbytery at the same time sympathised with the movement for the prevention, suppression or extinction of crime among juveniles, though they did not pledge themselves to support any one method.