PARENTS' MOVE

NZ Truth, Issue 1178, 28 June 1928, Page 9

PARENTS' MOVE

Cases That Perturbed . Magistrate; (From "N.Z: Truth's" Gisborne Rep.) Still another dilemma jn dealing with members of the native race, has been discovered by Magistrate Levvey at Gisborne. ACCORDING to the S.M.— and he is supported by court' officials— the natives of the ' East Coast district, are learning that their children can -very easily be taken off their hands' and brought up by the State. . Four Maori juveniles, two girls and two boys, ■ came before the Children's. Court last week, the two girls being charged with arson and the two boys with burglary. ' l In both cases similar, comment was passed— that the parents thought they had evolved an easy way of having their children looked after. In the case against the girls, it was stated that the younger of the two, aged 13, had been sent away from home and had gone to live ; m a tent with a woman of illrepute. . , ' • , ; In company with the other girl, who ivas four years her' senior, she had broken into her father's house and set .t on fire. V v ' . Detective McLeod expressed the spinion that the younger offender should be sent away for a term, remarking that far too many young natives were coming, before the courts. Magistrate Levvey: "Yes, their ;parjnts are learning that we will take 2are of them without cost. I see it jverywhere I go." Detective McLeod: "They recognize ihat it is an easy way of having the children looked after." ] JUVENILE .BURGLARS The elder girl was admitted; to'probation, but the other one was committed to the care of the child welfare superintendent. ; -■• •; ."• In thie case against the boys.yboth 14 pears of age, it was stated that the two Durglary charges concerned: only sl a 'raction of "the offences which they had jommitted. ■ , , . - . Senior Sergeant, McLean remarked :hat if ever two", boys deserved to be lent away from home, these were the ;wo. ..'■■■■• : ' - ' ■ ■' ' •■••'■ : The magistrate said it was no good lending the boys "away; it was only illing up the' institutions. . What they really wanted was "the. eathering of their lives." ".'The position*" he added, "\s becoming intolerable. The parents of Maori children have fdun<d a way of getting' rid of their, responsi- ■ bilities, and I am not disposed to send these boys' where we will have to pay for them.'' Constable "Wade further complicated natters by .stating 1 that the boys were •egarded as heroes m their district; hat even ii( they received a thrashng, it-/ would -be regarded as a great lonor. ' •"After further discussion, it was de:ided to adjo.urn ' the cases for six nonths. , •