SEX CHARGES IN HUTT VALLEY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27400, 13 July 1954, Page 10

SEX CHARGES IN HUTT VALLEY

Consideration By Cabinet PLANS TO HOLD INQUIRY (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 12. Announcing plans for a Government inquiry into immorality among adolescents in the Hutt Valley, the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) said tonight that this social problem might be more widespread. He declined to say in the meantime what other locality might be involved. Preliminary police reports were studied by the Cabinet today, and a special committee of five Ministers will decide the nature of the inquiry and its order of reference.

At the Lower Hutt Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday, when eight youths were remanded on charges of unlawful carnal knowledge and indecent assault, the police prosecutor said that investigations revealed a., “shocking degree of immoral conduct” among adolescents in the Hutt Valley. Sixty youths and girls were involved in a total of 80 offences, he said. The Prime Minister said tonight: “The Government will not shrink from the responsibility it has in the wider aspects of this matter.” The offences would, of course, be dealt with by the, appropriate authorities, he said. Mr Holland said the inquiry would investigate “the grave social problem which has been unearthed in the Hutt Valley.” The inquiry would supplement action already being taken by the authorities. Before the Cabinet meeting Mr Holland conferred with the Commissioner of Police (Mr E. H. Compton) and with Senior-Sergeant F. le Fort, the Petone police officer who has carried out most of the police investigations. The Prime Minister also studied reports and examples of reading material during the week-end. Special Committee He had earlier held conferences with five Ministers, who today were constituted a special committee to decide the nature of the inquiry. These are the Minister of Social Justice (Mrs G. H. Ross), the Minister of Health (Mr J. R. Marshall), the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie), the Minister of Customs (Mr C. M. Bowden), and the Minister in Charge of Police (Mr W. H. Fortune).

“It is clear beyond any doubt that a grave social problem has been unearthed, and there is, I regret to say, ground for believing that it is not confined to the Hutt Valley,” the Prime Minister said. “The Government realises that this is a wide problem, the solving of which will require the co-operation of parents, churches, education authorities, and welfare organisations,” he said. “For its part, the Government will do what it can.” The Cabinet had decided that the whole matter called for an exhaustive examination, Mr Holland said. It would take a few days, however, for the special committee to make recommendations, as it wished to consult various persons with special qualifications for advising the Government on such a problem. “As soon as the recommendations are ready, a special meeting of the Cabinet will be held, and a public announcement will be made at the earliest possible moment,” the Prime Minister said.