DAMAGE DONE BY VANDALS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24901, 14 June 1946, Page 6

DAMAGE DONE BY VANDALS

CONCERN OF HOSTELS ASSOCIATION

“I have been continually shocked at the utterly incomprehensible mentality of those who treat public property m this way,” said Professor George Jobberns, president of the New Zealand Youth Hostels Association, corp* menting at the annual meeting last evening on damage by vandsls. “At the-Sign of the Packhorse, the Sign of the Bellbird, and at the Sign of the Takahe there has been most deplorable evidence of lack of regard for public property,” he added. The association aimed “to help all but especially young people, -to a greater knowledge, care, and love of the countryside, particularly by providing hostels or other '‘simple accommodation for them in their travels.” The association should endeavour to combat vandalism by obtaining information on the extent to which members were entitled to, interfere with those caught in the act, said Mr A. B. Fordyce, jun. At the Sign of the Bellbird, on succeeding week-ends after it was closed, he had seen windows broken, until only the skylights remained intact.

A voice: Those have gone now. The position was very grave when the very framework of a building was broken and the mantelpiece was used for firing. Mr Fordyce concluded Mr Norman Wright said that the Youth Hostels Association and the Automobile Association were greatly concerned, but there was little they could do. except conduct publicity campaigns against vandalism. To touch a person opened the possibility of a charge of assault being laid. Personally, he was sorry that university and training college students seemed frequent offenders. On road signs and buildings they inscribed their names and even their addresses. ‘Tt’s time the psychiatrists did something about this curious urge to write names.” said Professor Jobberns. “People write their names in some quher pieces.” It was agreed to inquire what steps the association could take to combat vandalism.