ASSAULTS ON CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1671, 11 February 1913, Page 3

ASSAULTS ON CHILDREN.

Sir,—ls it not time somo of you influential editors and writers devoted a little attention to a canker m our local surroundings? We aro surfeited day after day .witli leading articles, large ana small, on ".Reform" or "Anti-Reform," as tho case might be, and iu anobscuro corner wo may discover, if we happen to scan your columns carefully, that some man (?) lias pleaded guilty, or been found so, on a charge of criminal assault on a child of tender years, for which he received a sentence, more or less severe) according to the "kink" in your readers' brains. Take the ease on Tuesday. Where on earth is tho difference, so i'ar as this man was concerned, and the one referred to by the Judge, who had received twenty years? The intention was the same, and tliere should have been no diltcrence in the sentence. It is high time Our Judges had it forcibly inipies«ed upon them that the cure and welfare of our children should have first call on their sympathies, rather than the human monsters who are, shall I say "unlucky" enough,

to bo brought before tlicm. I firmly believe that only a small percentage of these cases tome to light at all. Our reserves and Notlwn i'lirk especially are nothing more than traps for the little ones, and 1 know personally that many parents will not allow their children to vis.it the Pali: without they can escort them themselves. Is this not a standing disgrace? Not only to those in authority, but also our Judges? 'l'hey have these cases before I htm session after session, and they fail to make any adequate impression. Why not order fho lash? I know this will lie objected to by a lot of tlie "peace-nt-any-price" community, but what would they think or <lo if it happened to be their bwn who suffered at the hands of these brutes? The lash ,is the only remedy! The Judges have imposed long terms of imprisonment, and many, "interesting" lectures or addresses. With .what result? Tho reports of our sessions are, or ought to be, sufficient answer. lit them do as they should liave done from the start, especially in fullyproved cases—order the lash, i venture our records in a very short time. Therefore, as I started. Why ilon'f you editors deal with the matter, with the gloves off, too?—I am, etc., - ALPHA.