Child crime bill will go to cttee

Press, 12 November 1977, Page 2

Child crime bill will go to cttee

PA Wellington The Government has agreed to a request by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) to reverse its earlier decision and send the Children and Young Persons Amendment Bill to a Parliamentary select committee.

The Acting Prime Minister (Mr Taiboys) said yesterday that after discussions with j his colleagues it had been agreed that the legislation, which provides for persons over 10 years of age to be charged with murder, should go to a committee. However, he made it clear that the Government would 1 pass the bill this year. Mr Rowling said on! Thursday that there was | widespread concern about | juvenile crime at present | and select committee consid-; eration might be the vehicle for Parliament to better look! at the whole question of juvenile crime. Mr Taiboys later moved j that the second reading ofj the bill— No. 27 on the Order Paper — be discharged and the legislation referred to the Social Services Committee. He said there was “absolutely no relationship” between the bill and “the very unfortunate events of recent days.”

The decision to introduce the measure had been made many months ago, and it was "pure coincidence” that it happened to be on the Order Paper “at the time of these unfortunate events."