EXAMPLES OF CHILD DELINQUENCY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 127, 24 February 1944, Page 3

EXAMPLES OF CHILD DELINQUENCY

Auckland Conference

WEAK PARENTAL CONTROL BLAMED

Numerous examples of child delinquency were quoted at a conference held by the Auckland Education Board last week, reports the “New Zealand Herald.” Four small boys from the primers and standard 1 recently made two attempts to burn down a railway station, said Mr. R. S. Webster, of the Headmasters’ Association. A girl of .11 had admitted stealing a wedding ring aud a dress ring from her foster-mother. A boy of 11 had been visiting various camps and going skating late at night. He often returned home after midnight bv taxicab. Another girl had admitted that she bad stolen about 17 from her father's wages. “On the waterfront recently, some boys broke into some lockers, stole a dinghy, oars and rowlocks and visited various yachts and launches,” added Mr. Webster. “(Part of their haul consisted of a sheath knife and a pair of binoculars. The mother of one of them was so unconcerned that she was later seen wearing the binoculars at a race meeting. Four lads at Takapuna recently stole a small yacht. They shifted it further along the beach, repainted it, shifted the mast, altered the seating, and then used it on the same beach.” Mr. Webster stated that many of these eases had not come before the Children’s Court. They showed a definite lack of parental control. “The general slackening of the moral fibre of adults is reflected in the children, and the war has merely hastened' this trend,’'’ said Mr. J. W. McGechie. also of the association. “I know of one young girl who has been out every night till after midnight, and another who claimed that she had spent every night in one -week with sailors. Parents are not only lax, but they are dishonest. A small girl of nine admitted having stolen a bathing suit from a city department store, and her mother did not even ask her to take it back.” Referring to the bad effect of films on children, Mr. McGechie quoted the case of 10 children of primary . school age whom he had seen at an evening performance at a city theatre. They could not have been home before 11.30 p.m., and were useless for their school work the next day. Asking whether many of the radio serials were suitable for adults, let alone children, Mr. McGechie stated that in one 15-minute session recently between 7 p.m. <ind S p.m. lie had. counted four murders. He also criticized the lack of playing areas, and described many of the parks as merely pretty gardens, where children could not even walk on the grass. He suggested that parents also should be forced to come before the Children’s Court when their children appeared. Shortage of Housing.

Examples of the lack of housing were quoted by Mr. R- A. Watson, the third representative from the association. Moral standards were being lowered, and abortions had accounted for the death of an average of 1500 children a year in New Zealand. He mentioned a girl of 14J years of age who stayed away from home three nights in the week and had admitted consorting with servicemen. Another speaker, Mr. G. H. Wilkinson, a member of a school committee, strongly criticized the conditions which exist at Victoria Park. He described small boys who thronged the barbed wire surrounding a camp as "little vultures, asking for cigarettes.” Some said that they had been sent there by their mothers. He added that he had been asked by two girls not more than 12 who were accompanied by servicemen, to provide them with a corkscrew to open a bottle of wine.

"The way girls of 13 and 14 get about around Victoria Park and the waterfront is revolting,” he added. "Eight children, between the ages of six and eight, were recently treated for venereal disease at the Auckland Hospital through coming in contact with servicemen.”

Evidence given by Misses E. I. Casey and I. D. Earle, visiting teachers recently appointed by the board, showed that most parents were anxious to receive any help. With their husbands in the forces, they were'finding it difficult to play both father and mother. The majority of mothers were waiting for aid and advice.