EDUCATION AND CRIME IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9381, 22 March 1892, Page 6 (Supplement)

EDUCATION AND CRIME IN NEW ZEALAND.

By Sir Robebt Stout, K.C.M.G.

Some people have been spreading a report that crime is on the increase, and fcbafc there is some connection between such an increase ana the Secular Education Act. It is the old story about putting the fish in the globe I Mlod with water that is said to have puzzled the Eughsh savants in Charles' reign. So far as New Zealand is concerned, there has been no increase of crime since the passing of the Secular Education Act in 1877. It came into force m January 1878, and I shall give the criminal statistics since that date. I may premise, however, that one might expect an increase of crime. First, the population is increasing and concentrating—whenever that happens crimo is likely to increase, and the mortality rate also show a higher percentage. Then there is apt to be a great many minor regulations, the violation of which is called a crime, as population increases and as the State power grows. Further, police.supervision is more active, and that also has to be remembered when criminal statistics are carefully considered. Notwithstanding, however, that an increase of crime might have been looked for, there is an actual decrease. I take first the number of persons charged with offences before magistrates. I shall give the total number in each year and the percentage :— ■v- , Total Percentage per Veal- Number. 1000 of Population. 187S 21.550 51-66 1879 21,879 4718 ISSO 20,750 4374 1881 19,297 31)11 ISB3 22.10S 43-41 1883 22,511 4252 1854 23,105 41-81 1855 22,70:) 3i)-Cl 1880 21,227 3«-4f) 1887 ... ... 19,924 33-41 18SS 18,82!) 30-92 1889 18,476 30-10 I 1890 ... 18,247 1 29-39 Now these include all charges brought in inferior courts, whatever the result may have been. Many are charges of drunkenness, and they give the charges, not the number of persons. A person may have been five,times charged. The next table is that of summary convictions. They were:— v n ,^ Summary Con- Proportion per i ear. victions. 1000 of Population. IS7S 16,119 38-98 1879 15,721 3412 1880 14.77S 3116 18S1 13,795 2816 ISS2 16,220 3185 1883 16,590 -31-35 1884 17,672 31-98 18S5 17,566 30-G1 ISB6 16.42S 2S-22 ■ 18S7 15,278 25-61 1888 14,259 2355 ISS9 13,861 22-57 189J 13.585 '22-37 I now give'the convictions in superior courts, which mean all indictable or serious offences:— Year. Total Number. Ug*j^jj£~ 1878 286 " 0-66 ' 1879 287 0-G2 ISBO 295 062 1881 214 -0-43 ISB2 219 039 1883 189 0-36 1884 200 0-39 1885 223 0-39 1886 2d9 0-44 1887 334 0-56 ■ 1888 255 042 1889 225 —0-37" 1890 192 . 0-31 If the state of the gaols in 1890 is looked-at, the same pleasing result is met." The daily average number of prisoners in all gaols was, in 1890, 51501 males and 67-60 females. In 1889 it was 55122 males and 7502 females, showing for 1890 a daily average decrease of 36 21 males and 7"42 females, and the average percentage of < actual prisoners to population has fallen to '085, a decrease of "011 for the year. The proportion of illiteracy is still high amongst prisoners. Out of a total of 3510 male and 820, female prisoners received into gaol, 367 males, and 86 females woro not able to either read or write. Another test is hns the proportion of young criminals increased ? I shall give the statistics of three years as a test—lßß2, 1886,, and 1890. In 1882 there were of prisoners 381 under 20 years of age; in 1886 there were 445; in 1890 there were but 297. And it has to be remembered that the proportion of persons'in the colony under 20 was greater in 1890 than either in 1882 or 1886, even without allowing for the large increase in population. Juvenile crime has, therefore, been greatly lessened, if we dealt with actual prisoners,- There is, moreover, a large number of children received into industrial schools. They are not all ■ criminals ; indeed, few are. Children who are neglected by their parents are sent to these schools. It might therefore be fair to say that in the large majority of instances these convictions of children are for the neglect of their parents. But here also the records are favourable. From 1880 to 1885 the average number of committals was 298-5, the maximum number was in 1885, 340. Since that year .the committals have been:— Number of Year. Committals. 1886 ... - ... 238----1887 221 1888 190 ISB9 ... ... ... 169 1890 -... ;,. 158 In five years the fall has been over 50 per cent., and the total number of inmates of such schools has fallen to 971, about half what it was five or six years ago. Of the 158 sent to industrial schools 89 were sent because of parents' fault or neglect, and in 22 other cases it was possible one or other of the parents was to blame," No doubt the passing of the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Act in 1885, which threw the burden of looking after the sick and poor on local bodies, has helped to keep down the convictions for neglected children. But whatever may have helped to bring about such a good result, the record shows that the number of criminal and neglected children has greatly lessened. The religion of the parents whose children were committed to these schools was:— Church of England 68 Koman Catholic ... 41 Presbyterian ... 31 Methodist ... 9 Congregational ■ ... 2 Baptist 1 Protestant ... ... 3 Not known 3 158 Or by percentage:— " Percentage Percantage to per 100 of Population of Children. Colony. Church of England ... 4303 4017 Roman Catholic ... 2594 13-95 Presbyterian 1962 22-59 Wealcyan 5"69 955 _ Then another point to he considered is the birth places of prisoners. Again lam taking "prisoner" to mean person convicted. Some were of course convicted for petty offences more than once. * Now let me take the three years 1882, 1886, and 1890, for the purpose of comparison. Of the prisoners received-in goal in 1882, there were of European descent 338 born in the colony and 161-Maoris; in 1886 there were 481 of European descent and 152 Maoris ; and in 1890 521 of European descent and 128 Maoris. Considering that far more than half of the people of New Zealand were born there, it will be seen there is a small proportion of criminals to the native-born population. There were of other nationalities during the same three years, that is :— In 1882.—1589 born in England and Wales. 1487 born in Ireland. . . 623 born in Scotland. 276 born in other British colonies. In 1886.—1645 born in England and Wales. 1418 born in Ireland. 676 born in Scotland. 272 born in other British colonies. In 1890.—1385 born in England and Wales. 1151 born in Ireland. 519 born in Scotland. 302 born in other British colonies. The birthplaces of the people in 1886 were :— New Zealand 5189 per cent. British colonies 3-66 » England and Wales ... 2206 n Ireland B'B9 11 Scotland ... ... ... 9-48 . » The results of the census taken in 1891 have not yet been published, but no doubt the New Zealand ratio has greatly increased. It will be observed that of foreign born people Ireland shows by far the most. I believe the hot, exeiteable Celtic temperament may count for much in this connection, but the lack of. education is also not to be overlooked, nor is the misgovernment of Ireland. The Scotch people have an undoubted good record, and a, better one than British colonies and possessions for example. As to the religions I can give the proportions for five years : — Proportion Proportion _ . Per 100 to Of Convicted Population of Prisoners. Colony. 18SS. ChurchofEnglaud 4171 4017 Koman Catholic... -34-39 1395 Presbyterian ... 1557 22"59 Wesleyan ... 2"27 9"55 1887. ChurchofEngland 43-54 j- 4017 Roman Catholic... 32"51 1395 Presbyterian ... 1531 22"59 Wealeyan ... 261 955 1888. ChurchofEngland 4299 4017 Roman Catholic... 31-88 13-95 Presbyterian ... 1(5-48 2259 Wesleyan ... 245 9-55 1889. Churchofßngland 4331 40-17 Eoman Catholic... 3285 13-95 Presbyterian ... 1521 22-59 Wesleyan ... 271 955 1890. ChurchofEngland 43 "41 4017 Roman Catholic... 3094 13-95 Presbyterian ... 14-50 22-59 Wesleyan ... 314 955 Of course no fair-minded person ever says that religion is a cause of crime ; on the contrary, there is no doubt that it tends to help right living. Those who favour secular educa-

tion may, when the charge of secular education leading to crime is made against them, say to tke religions people who wish the State either to teach or to pay for teaching religion:— "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for us nor for our children, but weep for yourselves and your children." My object has beeu to place such figures before the public as will show that our Secular Education Act does not lead to crime; that on the contrary crime is gradually decreasing, just as education is getting diffused. The percentages of serious crimes was highest in 1878—namely, -6G per 1000. It was lowest in 1890, only being "31 per 1000, fallen more than half. If it had increased in that time the Education Act would have beeu blamed. It having fallen, may I ask in fairness ought not the Education Act to get some meed of praise for this result ? I have given these statistics for New Zealand. I hope the same comparison will be made for other colonies.— Melbourne Age.