UNCONTROLLED YOUTHS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1933, Page 9

UNCONTROLLED YOUTHS

IDLING THEIR TIME AWAY. EFFECTIVE CONTROL NEEDED. Napier, May 19. The large number of uncontrolled youths roaming the streets at night and indulging in vandalism was commented upon strongly by members of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board to-day. It was admitted that “boys would be boys,” but it was not desirable that their behaviour should go uncurbed. They should be trained into becoming useful citizens. / The discussion arose through the following resolution passed at a recent meeting of householders and forwarded by the Napier Central school committee: “This meeting of householders desires to draw the attention of the Education Board to the apparent lax control of parents over -large numbers of children of varying ages who are allowed to roam the streets after dark, and asks the board to bring the matter under the notice‘of the proper authorities to see if any means can be devised for checking this undesirable state of affairs.” In bringing the matter before the board the secretary, Mr. W. L. Dunn, stated the whole question had been brought'up as a result of the arrest of an organisation known as the “Skeleton Bats,” some of whom had been pupils of the Napier Central school. DAMAGE DONE TO RESERVES. The amount of damage which had been done by boys to reserves in Napier was referred to by Mr. R. C. Wright, who stated he thought the .boys should be better controlled by the teachers. Mr. T. Rowe: I would like to move that a letter be sent to all teachers urging that they impress upon children the necessity of looking after and protecting their own property. Mr. T. A. Morland, senior inspector: That is brought before the children day in and day out. Mr. Dunn: Boys will be boys. The Rev. F. L. Frost: One of the most serious features of the position is the fact that probably 300 boys who should be receiving secondary education are instead idling their time away. You see them on the wharves and jetties and on the streets. Before the earthquake there were some 900 boys at Napier secondary schools. The population has not decreased, but there are now only about 500. Mr. T. A. Coleman: I think it is an ex-, cellent resolution, but it applies to all kinds of youths in the hobbledehoy stage who are let loose after tea time. This board has no legal authority, but I think if we support it it may assist to strengthen the control of parents. Mr. Wright said that children should be kept off the streets and provision made for them on playgrounds. He had investigated the position and could say that the boys were not all children of unemployed. BOUND TO GET INTO MISCHIEF. The Rev. R. Waugh said that on any night mobs of boys and girls were wandering about the streets. They had nothing to do and were bound to get into mischief. They did not stay at home, and even as late as 11 o clock at night they could be seen on the streets. The children should be taught to play in their homes, but home did not appeal to the modem youth. The suggestion was made that compulißory classes should be held after school in order to keep children off the streets. Mr. Wright: That was tried in Napier and proved a failure. Mr. Dunn: They did more harm than good. It brought boys on to the streets at night after the classes had been completed, when they might otherwise have been at home. On the suggestion of the senior inspector it was decided to leave the matter in his hands to bring before the notice of teachers personally.