WELFARE OF CHILDREN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 1 May 1926, Page 10

WELFARE OF CHILDREN

NEW COURT’S JURISDICTION REVIEW BY MAGISTRATE BETTER MACHINERY PROVIDED The scope of the Child Welfare Act and its application to. the administration of justice, formed the subject of a statement by Mr E. C. Cut-ten, S.M., at the first sitting of the Special Children’s Court, at Auckland, says the Herald. “In the first place I am sorry that no definite appointments of associate members of the Court- have yet been made, Mr Cutten said. “It would have been a matter of much interest to have had at our first sitting a full assemblage of members of the Court. To have as so dated with TTfe Court persons in sympathy with our social difficulties and already interested in social welfare work will nofc only be of assistance o the Court, but also will increase the public confidence in the Court’s exercise of the fairly wide discretion given to it. “On the other hand I feel it is my duty to say this: I have heard a social worker speak enthusiastically of the great results hopefully looked for from tho Child Welfare Act and the setting up of this Court. Excellent work has been done by the Juvenile Courts as previously constituted, and it will be hard to show noticeably better results from the newly-constituted Courts. Good work is done s.lowly. It is not the way of a British community to make great, changes suddenly, and the amount of change made by the Act is not so great as many enthusiastic social workers hoped and perhaps now believe hasbeen made. EXTENSION OF JURISDICTION “Ihe Juvenile Courts as previously constituted found a way to do, and did do most of the things that the Courts arc now spescifkally required to do. For example, they did not have associate members, but they found a way to call to their assistance prominent social workers, the limitation of atendance at the hearings, the non-reporting of cases, treating boys from 16 to- 18 as juveniles. These were all matters given effect to except where there was some good reason to the contrary, and the new Courts can hardly do more. "However, the new Act gives better machinery and a wider may be found that the extension of jurisdiction is too wide. It appears that a serious charge against an adult, if it involves a child and the attendance of the child at the Court, comes within the jurisdiction of the children’s Court. The Legislature, however, is always wise, and there is a. saving clause ‘to the effect that proceedings and acts shall not he invalidated merely because the provisions of the Act have not been complied with. “Much the same applies to the general administration of the welfare branch- of Die Education Department The Act will make little difference to its administration, although it is given better machinery . I have mentioned these things to warn people interested not to expect great results quickly. Nevertheless, the Act is a step forward. The department and the Court are given better machinery, there is an alteration in the constitution of the Court, and it has a wider jurisdiction. INSPECTION OF INSTITUTIONS “Other than these things there are only one or two new matters of importance. The department must receive notification of the birth of an illegitimate child, and, while carefully observing secrecy, may act in the interests of the child. Private institutions to which children may be committed are subject to a defined inspection, the Minister must approve the appointment of a manager, and if dissatisfied the Minister may close the institution. ’ “To give effect to the objects of the Act the Minister may set up any kind of institution from a training farm to a convalescent home or a home to which children may be sent to- avoid illness. A most interesting and important provision gives power to make regulations to deal with children trading in the streets or places of entertainment and to restrict -or prohibit attendance of children at pictures or places of entertainment. “If the parents will take a serious interest in tin's work and do their part, if the welfare branch of the department is not starved for officers and provision for them doing this work, and if the Act, as I feel sure it will be, is wisely and sympathetically administered, it will prove ‘its value and lead to further steps in the interests and for the welfare of the young. I think we may some day look forward to the seting up of a. social welfare department which, in addition to the duties now carried ou tby the welfare braich of the Education Department and the probation branch of the Justice Department will be entitled to exercise a sympathetic oversight of all social welfare institutions with the object of infhieneiifg rather than controlling them, as to bring about satisfactory co-operation, reduce over-lapping, and co-ordinate the effort of all these institutions.”