CHILDREN’S COURTS REVIEWED BY S.M.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18642, 20 December 1928, Page 5

CHILDREN’S COURTS REVIEWED BY S.M.

WEAKNESS OF SYSTEM SHOWN TO JUSTICES. P*"* Press Association. lIAWERA, December 19. Feelings of perturbation concerning the conduct and policy of Child Welfare Courts in the Dominion were indicated by Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., in court, when, in replying to farewell speeches in view of his departure for Wellington, he referred to remarks made by Mr D. Dixon, J.P., who had complimented Mr Barton on his treatment of cases in the Juvenile Court. Addressing particularly the several Justices who formed part of the farewell gathering, Mr Barton said that, speaking as a citizen interested in child welfare work to the Justices, who were also citizens interested in such work, he thought there were tendencies they should watch and think about. In the last analysis, the best preventive and remedial factor would be a well-informed public conscience and an intelligent and wise standard of requirements for youth. With this in view, he suggested that they should ask themselves: “Are you satisfied it is wise to prejudge that in all cases, irrespective of the nature of the offence and the public interests involved, the Press should be excluded ? That irrespective of the offence, the temperament of the offender and his attempts to inculpate others, his name must be suppressed, and that irrespective of the bearing of a youth of sixteen and a half years towards author-

ity and the country’s ideals, he must be brought into a room shorn of all the appearance of surroundings of a Court?” lie did not wish to indicate recommendations, but wished that thought should be given to the subject. Mr Barton asked the Justices whether they saw any reason to fear that the present policy might have the effect of lulling the public *into the belief that little or no juvenile crime existed. If so, it was a matter which called for serious attention.