THE MINISTER EXPLAINS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2801, 20 November 1907, Page 66

THE MINISTER EXPLAINS.

(From Our Owk Corkispondeht.) WELLINGTON, November 17. Mr Fowlds has made a statement to the Post regarding the punishment of incorrigible girls apropos of the recent incident in the Te Oranga Home, Christchurch. "The position is this," said the Minister: "One of the most serious offences that these girls commit is absconding from the home and their conduct when they get out. We have had cases previously where girls havo got away and after several days' search we have found them consorting with men promiscuously in isolated places or in houses of ill-fame. In this particular case there was one very bad girl, -who was the ringleader of an organised attempt to get 10 girls to run away. She end another girl got through a manhole in the roof and secreted themselves in a position whence they could get away at night when everything was quiet. When the two girls were miesed the usual search waa instituted in the vicinity. While the search wa« going on two more girli cleared out, but, fortunately, were met by one of the attendants who was searching fox the other two, and they x were taken back to the home. Later on in the evening, while the two girls were still undiscovered, one of the girls who had consented to abscond made a' full confession to the manager that the ringleader had asked about 10 girls to go out with 'her, and that they had arranged to meet in a house of ill-fame in Christchurch. She also revealed to the manager and a constable who was helping in tho search the place where the two girls had. secreted themselves. This being considered one of the most serious oases of misduct," remarked the Minister, " the two' ringleaders were punished with a strap, and in accordance with the usual custom the whole case was reported to the Minister, with a recommendation that the extreme punishment of cutting the hair of the two ringleaders should be inflicted. Considering all the circumstances of the case I felt justified in giving the necessary consent, and their hair was cut off accordingly. The punishment inflicted was in accordance with regulations, and the outting off of a girl's hair ie not only the strongest deterrent on misconduct that can be inflicted, but is a great help in deteoting girls and getting them back to the. home before any eerious mischief is done. With the class of girls that sometimes get into these institutions ordinary methods would be futile. In. order to prevent the possibility of a recurrence of circumstances justifying the oourso that has been taken in this case, the department is proposing to put up an additional building, in which the worst class of offenders oan be isolated and seourely held without interfering with the freedom that ought to be allowed to the better class. If this ie done the worst offenders can be securely guarded without the risk and anxiety that exists under the present conditions. The department baa no fear of the result of tho fullest inquiry into the management of the institution, and the question of holding such an inquiry will be considered by the Government, but -it has to be borne in mind that quite serious charges were made against the management of the Buvnham School a little over a year ago, and after an exhaustive inquiry, costing over £600, the finding of the commission was wholly in commendation of the management of the school."