Need For Amateurs In Community Work

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30191, 24 July 1963, Page 14

Need For Amateurs In Community Work

One justification for justices of the peace was an evergrowing need for participation by amateurs in community affairs, the Secretary of Justice (Dr. J. L. Robson) said in Christchurch last evening.

Dr. Robson told a meeting of the Canterbury branch of the Justices of the Peace Association that a tendency of the past to place things in the hands of professionals had taken opportunities from worth-while amateurs.

While the tendency to restrict some fields (like den-

tistry) to professionals was sound, recent schemes were littered with failure arising from this cause.

“I believe there ought to be more decentralisation.’’ Dr. Robson said. “What can be ought to be handed over to districts, and what can be handed over by districts ought to be handed over to citizens for their participation ”

A mark of the worth-while citizen was his activities. Dr. Robson said. "If we want good citizens we must have a range of worth-while activities”

Training for the amateur was valuable, and tor this reason he commended the branch’s present training programme. Dr. Robson said. To test members' views, he posed for their consideration several questions on the topical issue of corporal punishment. Discussing the trend today of reformation of wrongdoers. Dr. Robson said there were still persons who advocated the return to the severity and forms of punishment of 100 years ago. While sitting behind a court bench might not be the "cup of tea" of every justice of the peace, this was not tragedy. There was scope in other fields, including the rehabilitation of prisoners and marriage guidance, he said.