JUVENILE IMMORALITY.

Mt Benger Mail, Volume 17, Issue 850, 22 August 1896, Page 4

JUVENILE IMMORALITY.

[From the Star's Parliamentary Reporter

WELLINGTON, August 14. In moving the second reading of the Juvenile Depravities Suppression Bill, the Premier regretted the necessity that existed for such a measure, but the responsibility of taking action to prevent children of tender aqe from keeping in the streets late at night was cast on the State owing to the neglect of parents (particularly in large cities) to do their duty. If the police were allowed to use the supplejack occasionally there would Boon be a cessation of the practice of lads of the larrikin class congregating at street corners and making offensive remarks to females passing. Constables wonld require to be instructed not to unnecessarily interfere with children of tender age found on the streets after dark, nor must they take hasty or ill-considered action which would tend to bring the police force into disrepute. In the case of a first offence, young girls found or believed to be loitering should be cautioned, and on a repetition of the offence they should be taken to the nearest police station, and if their reElies were not satisfactory they would be rought before a magistrate and probably committed to an industrial school. The recent disclosures in Dunedin and Wellington had shown the necessity for taking action where it was believed that young girls were harbored for immoral purposes in Chinese dens. Power was also given to raid gambling dens where lads congregated. Discretion should always be given to magistrates to hear these cases in camera, as publicity might in many cases prevent reformation. Dr Newman, while admitting the necessity for some action being taken to cope with existing juvenile depravity, contended that enormous powers were proposed under the Bill to be given to constables, and it might as well be proposed to ring the curfew bell at eight o'clock every night. What the police should be ordered to do was to direct their attention to the existence of "tote" shops, which could be found in every centre in the colony. As a matter of . fiat, observed the chirpy little doctor, the Grand National was run that afternoon, and boys of tender years were to be found putting their " little bit" on without restraint.—Mr Riccarton Russell expressed approval of the action of the Government in introducing legislation on this subject, but he did not think the power given to the police would commend itself to the country or the House. He regretted that the Premier Bhould so persistently overlook the fulness and fitness of the local authorities to attend to this class of government of the country. In his opinion municipal authorities of the different boroughs should be empowered to draw up regulations and employ truant officers to give effect to them. He pointed out that most of the constables were young men, and quite unfitted to carry out this class of work.—Mr Earnshaw congratulated the Premier upon having introduced the Bill, which he considered grappled very fairly with a very delicate question. It was, in his opinion, a better Bill than that which Mr Hutchison had introduced on the same subject.—Mr Lewis said he would support the Bill, but if it were to be made a workable measure it would have to be altered in committee. A police constable in uniform would be useless as an instrument to give effect to the Bill, as constables were too well known. Some provision should be made for the punishment of parents who neglected their children and allowed them to be on the streets at night. —The principle of the Bill was approved by Mr W. Hutchison, but he did not think that the measure itself went far enough in regard to the proper bringing up of the children.—Mr Hogg's experience was that if boys or girls were inclined to be vicious it would be a very diffioult thing to make them virtuous. He considered that many members of the constabulary were quite unfitted to perform the duties provided for by this measure. With the proposal to send depraved girls to a reformatory he quite agreed, but he pointed out that at the present time no such institutions existed in the colony.—Mr Parata, "as the father of a family and also a grandfather," considered the Bill one of the faddist measures now so frequently brought before the House, and announced his intention of voting against it—Mr R. Thompson thought that the Bill should make better provision for preventing boys from loitering about the streets at night, and expressed his opinion that the powers given to young constables were too great. In committee, however, the Bill could be made into a useful measure.—Mr Pirani gave the Premier much credit for introducing legislation on this subject, which, he contended, was urgently required. He disagreed with the suggestion to leave the matter to the municipal authorities, pointing out for one thing the question of expense. He was, however, inclined to think that the Bill went too far, and that for the present it should be confined to keeping boys and girls off the streets at night.—Mr Button also complimented the Premier on the Bill, and said he agreed mainly with the last speaker. He thought that some provision should also be made to prevent knots of men from blocking the footpaths at night.—ln the general discussion which followed members spoke favorably regarding the principle of the Bill, but agreed with Mr M'Gowan's contention that a mistake was made in the suggestion that the police authorities ought to be charged with carrying out its provisions.—The Minister of Defence pointed out that only committee objections had been raised to the Bill, and he admitted that ordinary police constables ought not to be entrusted with offenders under the Bill. —ln replying, the Premier said he was agreeably surprised at the tones of the debate. He had expected a general consensus of opinion as to the necessity of the Bill, but he had feared that the details of the measure, being drastic, would have led to its beiug blocked. Special policemen would.

be told off for the duty imposed under the Act. In committee he would accept any reasonable amendment for the improvement of the Bill.—The second reading was agreed to on the voices.