Parenting

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 12

Parenting

Sir, —Mr Palmer is on dangerous ground when he proposes that the Government intervene in parenting. His proposal is inconsistent with his book, “Unbridled Power,” about the abuse of power by the State. But it is consistent with socialist-commun-ist theory, which says, that the State knows best what is good for you. Despite the Government’s “Rub Out The Crim” publicity campaign just before the 1987 election campaign, crime is rising. I suggest this is because of: (a) the 1985 Criminal Justice Act which, among other things, paroles offenders too liberally and too soon; (b) the unemployment effects of Rogernomics; (c) the erosion of traditional community standards under the present Government. Some of the answers are evident. One is for the Government to encourage community schemes, such as the Tough Love network run by the parents of difficult teenagers, but certainly not to interfere in parenting itself.—Yours, etc., JAMES BACON. September 18, 1988.

Sir,—Mr Palmer’s swipe at parents (September 16) has a familiar ring. In 1945 when I joined a social work office I saw a cartoon. Boys had just smashed a butcher’s shop window; the butcher was waving his knife angrily and the boys gleefully telling him: “Don’t blame us — blame our parents.” Education has its limits in a world propagating brutality, recklessness, anger as a virtue, and more alcohol consumption. Thomas Hardy said a long time ago: “War is news: peace is dull.” Families do not exist in a vacuum. Schools act perhaps as if they (the parents) do. —Yours, etc. M. LYONS. September 18, 1988.

Sir,—Mr Palmer says that upbringing matters and he wants ideas to upgrade family life. Restrict family benefits (new ones) to two children only, and up it to, say, $lO a week. We are producing unwanted children and they finish as unwanted adults, and often in gangs. Alter immigration to prefer people with tertiary education, techno-

logical skills and finance. After all, immigration does not help New Zealand or its residents, only manufacturers looking for profits. Remembering Fiji, we need to protect our indigenous people. At all costs we must wipe out the domestic purposes benefit. It has financed illegitimacy and destroyed family life. Help the desperate with emergency funds, but surely we do not have to pay the rent and buy the washing machine? Vary the unemployment benefit by age. Give 16 less than 17, 17 less than 18 and so on. We are paying for glue,' smokes, booze and drugs. The amount the young get from the benefit is greater than they would get at the start of a job. The benefit is more attractive than work and I hear the D.P.B. is even more so. It seems we have given uncritical permission to be milked. — Yours, etc., T. K. WILLIAMS. September 21, 1988.