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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7353, 13 June 1885, Page 4

Everything has its cause, and there is abundant evidence as to what causes the larrikin— nuisance so much complained of nowadays. The terms " larrikin," and that of " hoodlum" representing the species in its further development, are of recent origin, have not been many years current, because the evils they are applied to are also new. . Too many parents in. these colonies think it a good thing that, among other innovations, new laws should be struck out for nature, and they do not rule their offspring as children have been ruled from time immemorial, since the world began. Not ruling them themselves, they object to their being ruled by others, even by the people on whom is devolved the agreeable task of bringing the young hopefuls into shape. No wonder Master Bumpus, thus unchecked, rapidly develops in the line left open to him, does that which is right and, pleasant in his own eyes —first falls into brutish manners, and then, with like facility, into vicious habits. No wonder we hear such -complaints in our city a,nd suburbs of the larrikin and hoodlum pest, and the police complain that their interference is frustrated by the leniency so often and curiously displayed by Justices of the Peace, who perhaps wish it to be understood that their leniency is in consideration of the parent. In point of fact, however, the main blame in nearly all cases rests with the parent, in neglect of the early and proper management of his son. One meets in these colonies as fine young people—boys spirited, straightforward, well-mannered—as are to be found in any country, or could have been found at any period, and just because they are rightly brought up. But, as everybody knows, they are exceptional. The fact, however, that there are such helps to indicate that

the prevalence of larrikmism is the result of evil or stupid management, under which the best disposition in the young will get perverted and go astray. The leniency of Justices had some odd illustrations not long since. On one occasion some boys were brought up for stealing money from a till, and the punishment, as set forth in the report, was to "let a birch be laid six times on the back of each." The novelty of a sound flogging might have made the young culprits disagreeably remember their entrance into crime, but the tender-hearted magistrates would not order that. Not a cane but a birch was to be administered, and to show that severity was deprecated, that tremendous weapon of chastisement was only to be " laid " on each back. But to turn to that outrage a few weeks ago, when an overgrown hoodlum of twenty rushed at a respectable girl in a public highway, and threw his arms about her, pulling her about until he saw a gentleman coming, when he took to his heels. "Whose blood did not boil with indignation when he heard of it, and then read of the scene in Court, and then of the sentence? The scoundrel appears to have been so confident that he would be dealt with lightly, that he was quite facetious, and pleaded to '. the magistrates, in excuse for his conduct, that "it gave him pleasure." Also, it was alleged by a witness on his behalf, as evidence of good character, that he, the •witness, had sometimes seen him at meetings of the Salvation Army,'- at whose meetings, we need not remind the reader, the hoodlums are wont to make themselves unwelcome guests. As if to be in keeping with these farcical proceedings, the punishment inflicted by the Bench wasone month's imprisonment ! We find by the report that on the same day, and before the same magistrates, an unfortunate fellow, accused of no crime but getting drunk, who had insulted nobody except himself, but was unable to pay the fine, was sentenced to a week's imprisonment.

It is no wonder that there should be this unpromising state of things, that larrikinism should be rampant when it obtains encouragement in so many ways. Order is Heaven's first law, and discipline lies at the root of all other education, but how can boys be supposed to respect or obey their teachers when they are countenanced in their insubordination by their parents ? A boy is caned, he retaliates by reporting it to his father with the addition that he did not deserve it. The goose is a swan at home, the fond parent considers his offspring incapable of telling a falsehood, other boys may be* larrikins, but certainly not his son, and he proceeds to summon the teacher into Court. This spectacle has become periodical, and the chaos which is thus the condition of some of the district schools may be expected to spread. Even at drill the drill-master must not enforce order. If he dares to use the cane, the only means of awing a crowd of insubordinate boys, he is dragged into Court. It is not very surprising to find that a school where a school committee has backed up this sort of thing, had baen remarked by the Inspector for its want of discipline. A fresh case, and in reference to another school, was reported in our issue of Thursday. It came out in cross-examination that there had been something of a mutiny; that the boys had not only hooted the teacher, but that a number combined to prevent him chastising them. In spite of all this,, however, he was brought into Court by one of their fathers. Perhaps it is not wonderful that a scarcity of teachers for the district schools is apprehended. Men will not come forward to endure this treatment. This matter will have to be amended. The expenses of the school system have increased to a monstrous figure, and nevertheless the taxpayers, numbers of whom have not their children in the schools, have remained quiescent on the supposition that the system would train its pupils to become decent, respectable citizens ; but if the contrary is to be the case, if the schools are to be transformed in the way we say, into nests of larrikins, then it does not require a prophet to foresee that .their duration will be short —that educational arrangements which would be a blessing if rightly managed, will surely, under this state of things, collapse.