Police Controller Praises Boys’ Clubs In Australia

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27990, 9 June 1956, Page 10

Police Controller Praises Boys’ Clubs In Australia

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 8. In every locality in New South Wales in which a police boys’ club had been established, there had been a marked decrease in juvenile and adolescent crime, said the ControllerGeneral of Police (Mr S. T. Barnett) today. The administrators were able to point to that result, apart from the obvious advantages of building up boys physically and in other respects, said Mr Barnett. While in Australia recently, he examined police work among young people in New South Wales and Victoria. The States operated differently. he said. In New South Wales, the police established and ran clubs, with community assistance; in Victoria, police instructors assisted existing clubs. Mr Barnett said the New South Wales police had built up a remarkable enterprise, which began 17 years ago in one of the .worst areas of Sydney. They had now built up an organisation of 29 clubs, with a membership approaching 40,000, and assets of £750,000.

The basis of the organisation was a joint endeavour by the police and the community, said Mr Barnett. The police provided the leadership, and one policeman at least was fully engaged as the superintendent of the movement. The officer in charge of each district was required, as part of his duties, to act as the local president. Apart from a reasonable subsidy for capital expenditure, funds were raised through the local community. • Programmes provided a wide range of activities, both cultural and physical, said Mr Barnett. There were sporting teams, choirs, bands, hobby groups, and debating groups. All this called for a great amount of community endeavour. Mothers took a prominent part. The amount of money that had been forthcoming was surprising, said Mr Barnett. Apart from the Government subsidy, the financial position of the whole movement made possible the establishment of further clubs. The clubs had now been established long enough to provide instructors and leaders from former club boys. “In one club I visited, quite half the instructors had themselves been members.’’ said Mr Barnett. Although the age limit was 18, any young man up to the' age of 21 or beyond could use the club for training purposes, on condition that he helped the juniors. A useful adjunct of the movement was the country camps which it ran, said Mr Barnett. These had every conceivable facility, and were particularly useful for boys growing up in crowded urban areas. The Victorian police had an entirely different policy, he said. They did not take an official share in the establishment or management of clubs but placed the greatest value cn clubs. The force gave great encouragement to officers to work in established clubs. **

The important lesson from both States was that the efforts of policemen in juvenile work were of inestimable value to the community and to the police force itself, said Mr Barnett. One result was better understanding between the force and young people. “I am convinced that this is one phase of work that we can most usefully undertake in New Zealand,’’ said Mr Barnett. He had discussed this with the Director of Education (Mr C. E. Beeby) and had his support to work out a scheme which should be acceptable to education boards.