CHILD COURT POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 20054, 20 December 1928, Page 18

CHILD COURT POLICY

——- A MAGISTRATE PERTURBED [Per United Press Association'.] HAWERA, December 19. Feelings of perturbation concerning the conduct and policy of the Child Welfare Courts in the dominion were indicated by Air J. S. Barton, S.M., in tho court, when, in replying to farewells voiced in view of liis departure for Wellington, ho referred to the remarks made by Mr D. Dixon, J.P., who had coniplinionfed Air Barton on Ins treatment of eases in tho Juvenile Court. Addressing particularly tins several justices who formed part of tho farewell gathering, Mr Barton said that, speaking as a citizen interested in child welfare work, to tho justices, who were also citizens interested in such work, he thought there were tendencies that they should watch and think about. In tlits last analysis, the best preventive and remedial factor would be a wellinformed public conscience, and an intelligent and wise standard of requirements for youth. With this in view, ho suggested that they ask themselves: “Are you satisfied that it is wise _to prejudice that in all eases, irrespective of the offence tho temperament of an offender, and his attempts to inculpate others, his mime must be suppressed; and that, irrespective of the nature of the' offence and the public interests involved, tho Press should be excluded; that, irrespective of tho bearing of a youth of sixteen and a-balf years towards authority and the country’s ideals, he must be brought into a room shorn of all the appearance of the surroundings of a court? ” . , He did not wish to indicate recommendations, 'but wished that thought should be given to the subject. Mr Barton asked the justices whether they saw any reason to fear that the present policy might have the effect of fulling the public into the belief that little or no juvenile crime existed. If so, it was a matter which called for serious attention.