Comments by S.M. cause concern
Social workers are extremely concerned about the comments of a Christchurch magistrate dealing with a case of assault recently. The magistrate said the father charged would have lost controi of his family had he not taken the action which led to his prosecution.
In a letter to “The Press”, the Canterbury branch president of the Association of Social Workers (M. A. O’Brien) said social workers were concerned that the comments might be seen as giving parents the right to do as they wished to their children, and that the magistrate seemed to be condoning violence at a time when many were concerned about assaults on police and taxi-drivers.
“Children subject to such discipline learn only that if
one has the necessary strength and force, a difficult and frustrating situation can be dealt with by violence, a lesson nobody would feel to be beneficial,” he said.
“The family is the cradle of violence and we would hope that the courts would discourage rather than encourage that.”
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Press, Issue 33842, 14 May 1975, Page 5
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170Comments by S.M. cause concern Press, Issue 33842, 14 May 1975, Page 5
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