TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2850, 15 August 1916, Page 6

TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN

ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION

FROM A GRAND JURY.

By Telegraph—l'ress Association

Auckland, August 14.

Tho number 'of alleged offences against children, the subject of charges in the Auckland Supremo Court calendar, was responsible for a special uresentiment from the Grand Jury before Mr. Justice Hosking.

Tlio presentment was as follows: — "The Grand Jury views' with concern tho number of sexual offences against children, and is of opinion that some amendment to tho criminal code is desirable to meet such eases iii tho direction of preventing a repetition of such offences." His Honour said ho was sorry tho Grand Jury had had such a long day, and that it had been concerning such disagreeable cases. He would take care that the recommendation of the Grand Jury was forwarded to tho proper quarter. Ho understood that in Christchurch. a similar presentment was made, and lie believed that it was intended that the amendment should take effect in the direction of empowering sterilisation. That course had been adopted in some Amoricau Statos, hut the experience of its operation was, perhaps too short to'demonstrate what the effect had been in reducing crime, and there was some question as to whether it was really competent under the American Constitution, because cruelty in punishment was prohibited. That was an element which must hn considered in adopting such a method as sterilisation.