Member Urges Legislation To Deal With Delinquency

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28618, 21 June 1958, Page 14

Member Urges Legislation To Deal With Delinquency

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 20. Unless the causes leading to juvenile delinquency could be traced, all efforts to control it would be defeated, said Mr W W. Freer (Government, Mount Albert) in the House of Representatives this morning during the Address-in-Reply debate. He suggested that a number of amendments be made to existing laws to enable the police and magistrates to deal more effectively with “these gangs of louts.” Mr Freer said bodgies and widgies had their counterparts in the dandies of a century or more ago. The exhibitionist of today was, however, more limited but had persisted in finding ways to show off. Not all the publicity given to gang activities had been desirable because it simply gave the gangs the notoriety they sought. Blocking footpaths and creating noise with pepped-up motorcycles were activities which attracted some persons to gangs and were forms of exhibitionism which led to criminal and, in other directions, to sexual malpractices. What seemed to have more appeal than any other form of exhibitionism was the destruction of public and private property for no logical reason whatever. Too many of that type of vandal had been admonished and discharged where an entirely different course should be taken. Mr Freer urged the Minister of Police and the Minister of Justice to give consideration to the following proposals: (1) The present experimental group of police working in a certain city and engaged on preventive work among the youth should become standard and a regular part of the police force in every main centre. (2) The law relating to public nuisance should be overhauled so that the police, convinced that a nuisance had been created, could | take automatic action.

“I saw one of these gangs of louts force a pregnant woman off a footpath on to the road where she was almost run over,” said Mr Freer. “A policeman also witnessed it, but he could do nothing.” Parents should be encouraged to live closer to their children. “I realise this cannot apply to all parents, and it is a difficult problem,” said Mr Freer. “There are delinquent parents, however, but against that there are parents who do not know what their children do.” Repair Damage In Public The law should be amended to make it mandatory for every Magistrate finding a person guilty of vandalism to make the offender work in public until the damage created has been restored. Where a nuisance is created by a hooligan or the rider of a noisy motorcycle, the Court have the power to confiscate the vehicle for an indefinite period. Mr Freer said the police and traffic officials wanted to raise the driving licensing age to 18 years so that offenders could be dealt with in a Magistrate’s and not a Children’s Court. Mr Freer said adolescents who joined gangs, and who considered themselves adults, should be prepared to take the penalties imposed on adults for breaches of the law. Police boys clubs were not the whole answer to the problem of finding alternative things for youths to do or outlets for their energy. There was no shortage of clubs, but there was a great shortage of leaders. “I urge the Government to establish a training centre for leaders,” said Mr Freer. “Give these organisatipns every possible help and see ‘ that the leaders are the best who can be obtained in the community.” 1960 Olyqipic Symbol.—A shewolf suckling the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus,, has been chosen as the official symbol of the 1960 Olympic Games at Rome. —Rome, June 19.