PRECOCIOUS CHILDREN

NZ Truth, Issue 508, 13 March 1915, Page 7

PRECOCIOUS CHILDREN

A Tiny Tot m Trouble

Astounding Sexuality.

(From "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.)

Last Wednesday, before Mr. W. Y. Wlddowson, S.M.. at the Magistrate's Court, two young boys, aged 9 and 13, and a littles tot of a girl, appeared In connection with an indecent' charge. The elder boy, though alleged to bo rather weak and nervous, seemed a cool calculating youngster m Court. The other boy wns apparently an innocent. The little girl who had been assaulted by the two boys was about the smallest tot that ever "Truth" saw figure m any case. Sab-Inspector Broberg, having outlined the circumstances of the offence, the S.M. took a very serious view of the whole matter, and said that boys between the ages of 12 and 15 WANTED CEASELESS SUPERVISION. He reduced the charge to common asBiiult to save the children from the odium and publicity of the Supreme Court. In regard to the smaller boy ho was .satisfied as to his Innocence, ■and he would be severely cautioned and discharged. Th« case against the other boy whs adjourned to enable Mr. AxclHcn to proaecuto certain enquiries St regard to him. Both boys were given a good character, and Mr. Widdowson extended a lengthy lecture to each Last Saturday a boy who was not given such a character was also up on a similar charge. He was aged 13, and the girl about 10. Having regard to the depredations committed by young girls during the holidays, and exposed In "Trlth." and weighing them with the scandalous .cased above, it is quite obvious that there is much criminal instinct m the very young of to-day. Many reasons could explain away thin, but there is one big reason that Is satisfactory apart from any others. Muny parents arc wanting absolutely In tho essential knoweldgc of the training of their children, and while this is so Now Zealand will never lack criminals. Dunedln Is about tho tamest town In tho Dominion, but measuring up the steady inflow of Juvenile crime and dangerous folly an expert critic could not fall to see. that given ho much to calculate upon God's Own when it boiitttx 6,000,000 people? «:m !••» lioHom. will be as hot and dangerous a show us could be Indicated on the map*