Curfew for Waiouru youth

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 394, 9 July 1991, Page 3

Curfew for Waiouru youth

BY

JOANNE

SAUNDERS

Due to the rising rate of petty crime in Waiouru the military are imposing a curfew on children 15 years and under in the camp and housing areas. As from Saturday 13 July the streets of Waiouru will be patrolled by military and civilian police. It is their intention to collect children who have no legitimate reasons for being on the camp and housing area streets after 10pm and taking them home to the custody of their parents or guardians. In a letter sent to the

residents of Waiouru, Colonel Clive Sinclair expressed his concerns about children who have no legitimate reason for being out and about after 10pm. "We all stand to benefit from a reduction in crime and threatening behaviour from juveniles who should rightly be under the control of their parents," said Col. Sinclair in the letter. Generally parents agree with the curfew, some saying they did not like their children roaming, and that the curfew would be good. Others say their children roam due to peer group pressure. The children themselves neither agreed nor disagreed with the curfew that is about to be imposed. Constable Chris Scales said the aim of the curfew is to have no petty crime or wandering

children for at least a week. He emphasized the curfew is restricted to the camp and housing area not the main road area. If the police repeatedly

pick up the same roaming children or deliver the children home to no parents, they can enforce the Children's and Young

Persons Act, which can see the parents charged with neglect or at the extreme, have the children taken away by social welfare.