UNCONTROLLED BOYS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 167, 11 April 1932, Page 10

UNCONTROLLED BOYS

Offences at Newtown

MAGISTRATE’S COMMENT

Fifteen boys, whose ages ranged from 14 to 17 years, were charged in the Children’s Court on Saturday with having indecently assaulted a girl. One of the boys, whom the magistrate, Mr. T. B. McNeil, S.M., considered had been far too much on the street, was committed to the care. of the Child Welfare Superintendent, with the instruction that he should be sent to an industrial school. 'The others were all placed under the supervision of the Child Welfare Officer.

In making an order permitting a report of the proceedings to be published in the Press, the magistrate said that he felt it was not in the public interest that a matter of this sort should be dealt with and the public be unaware of its having happened, and of how it had been disposed of in the court.

All the boys, said Senior-Sergeant Scott, resided in the Newtown end of Wellington, as did the girl, who was fourteen years of age. The police inquiries showed that in every case the boys were the aggressors, and the girl a willing party. The offences all took place at night, in Newtown Park. Warning to Parents. ‘‘The Child Welfare Act provides that unless the court specially consents no report shall be published of any proceedings before it,” the magistrate said, after the court had adjourned for a brief period. "In my opinion, and my court associates concur with me, this is a case where it is not in the public interest desirable that the happenings, the subjects of these charges, and the manner in which the offenders have been dealt with by the court should pass unknown except to those immediately concerned and the police, and court officials.- It is necessary that mothers and fathers should be aware and warned of the danger of allowing their adolescent boys and girls to be abroad at night uncontrolled, and without any supervision, as has been the case with these youths. I have, therefore, made an order that the Press be at liberty to publish a report of these proceedings.

“Allowed to Run Wild.”

“The history of the girl in question,” the magistrate continued, “is an unhappy one, and she has not been guarded by her parents as every child is entitled to be. She has been neglected and allowed to run wild, and those responsible for her care are highly culpable. A further bad feature of the result of the lack or want of parental control for these boys is that some of them—youths of 16 and 17—admit having on occasions had intoxicating liquor. “In general, practically all of the youths concerned have been allowed from home every nig(it to wander the streets uncontrolled and without their parents or guardians concerning themselves jts to their whereabouts or doings.” Before the boys were allowed to leave, the magistrate said that he hoped they were thoroughly ashamed of themselves, as he had no doubt they were. "Many of you have sisters of your own;” he added, “and you have not stopped to think what it would be if your sister was placed in the position that unfortunate girl was in.” The magistrate agreed with a suggestion that the “gang!’ should be broken up, and that a condition should be made that, none of the boys should associate with the others at night, excepting when they were with relatives.