POLICE AND SCHOOL CHILDREN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 27 September 1934, Page 8

POLICE AND SCHOOL CHILDREN

QUESTIONING AT SCHOOL NOT

PRACTISED

(By Telegraph) (From ‘‘The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, 2Ctli September

In the House of Representatives Mr A. S. Richards (Labour, Roskill) asked the Minister of Education if the Minister had noticed a report in the “Now Zealand Herald” of Saturday last wherein it reported a protest of the Bartlett school committee, protesing at the action of a police officer visiting schools during school hours and questioning children without the parents being given an opportunity to be present. Mr Richards asked if the Minister would take steps to prevent a recurrence of the practice. ‘‘Several members of the committee criticised this practice of uniformed constables entering schools for the purpose of questioning children,” said Mr Richards.

The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. IV. Forbes) replied: “The control of the schools is vested in the education boards, and in a matter of this kind the Education Department has no jurisdiction. I am assured, however, that it is against the practice of the Police Department for members of the Force in uniform to make inquiries at the schools, or to question the children at the schools, and if this has been done in tile case referred to the matter will be looked into.”