NEGLECTED CHILDREN.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume III, Issue 15, 31 December 1912, Page 4

NEGLECTED CHILDREN.

I M e have sufficient faith in humanity ho feel ussUJ’ed that there are few hrbi are B"t stirred from a normal I state of indifference to the sot-row? i;T-d weaknesses of childhood by any ■ i’ldividnal instance brought under i dir?<•: notice. We may safely go ! tm-t her and say that tbe steadily it.p. ,ff social reform lias j Ine-uub.t to many tuci.’ titan in past h'-.\ - a j>. : manent and ertuely ali - - hl -Ouse of ell? •■esncesili'ljtv . >.'-,1? 'r-imr ' f ■■hildron a '

,o fit them for their proper places in the social scheme. It is, however, possible that we can best appeal to nil through self-interest by convincing them that it is an economic duty io the community, which will result in substantial saving to the individuals cciu-titutiug it. to see that the

. .-.y best metliods aie adopted for ■he car? and mental, industrial and social development ol such of our children as are not blessed with tiatiiral ami capable protectors. Our attention is presently recalled to this ..übjeel. by ilie announcement that Mr.' Alien, the Minister of Education, lias, in pursuance of the scheme fore-.-badowed in the Budget issued by him as Finance, appointed an inspector in each of the tour large cities io assist incapable parents in the control of their children, hi introducing the subject to the House Mr. Allen hud occasion to deplore the rapid increase in the number of boys committed to industrial schools. Investigation, he said, had shown that of the boys so committed three fourths of the number had each one or both parents of good character. From this he drew the natural deduction of either laxity or incapacity on the part of the parents in the discharge of their responsibilities. The inspectors now appointed. are intended to supply the qualifies deficient in the parents, who, while cf good moral character, du oct or cannot exercise proper conirol over their growing offspring. No doubt- in this the Minister ha.taken a step in the right .direction but it wculd appear to ns that the means adopted will be quite inadecniate to tne end to be attained. 'That, industrial schools and like ini tituticns will alone supply the discipline which is necessary in extreme and comparatively rare eases of actual criminal instinct wc must admit. That their general effect upon the after-life of the average child ecmmitted to their care is altogether beneficial must be gravely doubted. Their cramping and narrowing routine must necessarily result in the elimination of all individuality from the characters of the children, apart altogether iiom the absence of any r.-ns.e of responsibility which only the varied contacts and experiences cf home life can evolve.

We have iecently read with pleasure two articles bearing diiectly on lies s'lbjvi .. Tim fii st, by an English philanthropist, Edith Sellers appeals in the October number-o’ the'••(.'onteinpctaiy Review,” and is a high appreciation of the system adopted in South Australia. The ether is to be found in the "Nine teenth Century" for November and comes from the pen of Dr. McKellar. President of the State Children Relief Board of New South Wales, who deals with the methods obtaining in his own Stale. In both, is emphasised the happy result arising from ini'ividual home t leaf rite nt as conl’astctl with those from the herding c! • mlusl i ial schools and kindred insti lii’ic’.is. In each S v ale it wiulo ap pear that a eoA J ia:: been constit'. ■ muffed ihci'i’ ,<j([ aTT" flw chiitire» v. bo are wit cf li.ckiiig alter e.id Toucrrrfiw The- council < r boiv d has the assis, anco < f district committee'?-whose limit ions, r.llhough entirely hinioi'have still th? status cf being olfii-ial and ciii.itli d to compulsory reecgnition. There are cf course paid, officials, whc.se actions, however. are always subject to the scrutiny ci' die c.-mnrittecs. The system adopted is that of boarding out with middle class working folk, and wherever possible among' rural stu roundings. The strictest invest:gaiicn is made as to the charade" and c-ip: ! i-iiy of those accepting lhe charge of the children, and 1 iiorougi: jneeautions are taken tor assuring the fulfilment of the obligations which they undertake, with substantial penalties for any dereliction. The organisation has been found tc wcik splendidly, and the record of failures is almost inappreciable. The limits of our space will not permit us to go into further details, but to those who have the true, interests ofl our derelict children at heart. more especially to those with legis« ■ative authority to assist in bringiiw forward the scheme for adoption B oil* own Dominion, we strongly eolfe mend a perusal of the origilM articles. The sanguine conclusiffiM from its operation in AustrjHa should justify an effort to hgi fully discussed by those who I|Bm power to act. The economic aBM| has been a saving of at JeastflHHfe per cent, in cost of maintenanee,&ati t most important of all, the tin of useful and responsible fellow citizens. The reformatories and industrial schools cf New South Wales and South Australia are almos; empty.