A WARNING TO PARENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12911, 27 February 1906, Page 3

A WARNING TO PARENTS.

; . Soma Duiiedin lads who were ia- * levolting case of immorality, which '■«a»f befpr* Mr;,. Justice Cooper on Tuesday, .Treve:called i bHdre ~th« Judge, together "witi the father of one of them.

His Honour, addressing the parent, said: | I have rent for you this morning bscause j it appeared to me that in a case -of thin kind I ought to give a- few words of advice, not only to "the boys, bu; to their pareuty. I do not for one moment sugges: that any one of these boys is neglected, but the evidence has shown that. they have, been about the stieeis. not out 01 control, but under such dn unistances that it is quite possible that they might j fall into bad company. Your' boy did! ■fall into bad company, and the itijuiy he has sustained, though,' not physical, but the moral dnjury. is such that *I think it is very essential that I should give you a. few words cf advice. Parents sliouhi exercise, as far as possible, strong control over their lads, especially lads cf tender age. such as these boys "are. and. as far as possible, keep them from'., the streets at night. I know it is very difficult- for

working men to find legitimate occupatma for their boys in the evenings, and 1 am qui'.e aware that many working men hava not got the same *pportunities at home as those in better position* of life have; but I cannot help thinking that there is an absence—l do not say it is so in your case at all—but I cannot, help thinking: that there is. generally speaking, in respect of many children in our cities, an absence of parental crntrol. Ido not make the**? remarks with any special reference to Dunedin. but h :s enforced upon me by mr exp-rieni-e in the criminal courts " tint throughout, the colony many parents do not seem to have sn'ficient regard for the future of their children, and permit them to roam about the streets at night, with an extreme d-.inger of their falling into b.iJ habits. I hope you and the parent* of other boys will take care that there is some sufficient cor.trol exercised, eo thit their boys may have a fair opportunity, at anyrate. ct growing up physically. moYally. and mcctallr satisfactory citiswn?. Turning to the* boys. His Honour continued:—" I hope that your father? wiH see that you are kept at home and umic; ! proper c-.ntrol. About town there ptc' many unic-slrable pesple, and. tssfortnn- ; ate'y, there are many undo4?irab!c people 1 of both sext-s who have a desire to cor- ! rupfc the morals of the young. You are nil intelligent buys. and. as fnr as I can j>ec. \ you are bsys of excellent ch.-acter. I | want this experience you have hnd t> hi, jj a lesson to you to do all you cm in future ! to keep yourselves pnre-rri::cled boys, ard \ so be a credit not orly t-n your parents. ! but t~ the city in which you live." j