The Ashburton Guardia. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1887. LARRIKINISM.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1566, 24 May 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardia. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1887. LARRIKINISM.

The question of dealing with he , larrikin evil is one which has been nceiying some attention of late. Though larrikinism is not as rampint m Nev Zealand as it is m some of the sistercolonies—Victoria and New -South Wales for instance; where some of tht doings of the canes of young roughs which infest the towns are, almost too outrageous for credence — ye^ it is quite bad enough, and we hear occasionally of occurrences m some of the larger towns, which go to show that it is high time something were done to summarily check the evil. In Ashburton we have not been called upon to consider the question m its worst aspect, but the records of the Police Court show that the number of juvenile offenders is very much larger than any well wisher of the community would like to see. Boys of tender years are frequently brought before the Bench on charges of various natures ; generally, injury to property and petty larceny. In some cases, these lads are ones from whose bringing-up, unfortunately, little good can be expected of them. This is bad enough, but what is worse is that they morally contaminateandlead astray other boys whose parents are most respectable and who endeavor to give their children a good training. That this is so has been made evident over and over again, and a case m point came under the notice of the Resident Magistrate only yesterday. He referred to the matter at some length and for the existence of such a state of affairs chiefly blamed the parents for allowing their children so much freedom m going out, especially after dark. That his remarks are justified is abundantly clear to any one who has occasion to be out after night fall. Numbers of boys, very young m most cases, can frequently be seen congregated at a street corner, and these nocturnal gatherings are never resultant m much good. Parents who have been m the habit of allowing their children much liberty m going about as they choose should take warning from the remarks ot the magistrate. Freedom is all very well ; but a little restraint is sometimes judicious, for as the sapling is inclined so will the tree grow.