DERELICTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 8, 31 March 1927, Page 3

DERELICTS

A SOCIAL PROBLEM SOLUTION DIFFICULT SPECIAL POWERS NEEDED Having “insufficient lawful means of support” is a crime in the eyes of the law, and it is perhaps just as well that it is so, for it is the means of rounding up numbers of down-and-outs who, either through mental or physical disability, age, or disinclination, will not work, and spend most of their lives in and out of gaol. Among these derelicts there is a percentage—fortunately not a big one —of what might be termed “problem cases,” old men mostly, whom nobody cares for and nobody wants. They have been perhaps, at different times, in various charitable homes, but sooner or later, unwilling to conform to any restriction or control, drift out again to sleep in the parks or in backyards, and perhaps to beg in the streets until they are rounded up by the police, and the process is repeated all over again. The magistrates who have to deal with these unfortunates are often at loss to know what to do with them. How often one hears from the Bench, “I really don’t know what to do with you. 1 don’t wish to send vou to prison ...” But sending them to gaol, since they won’t stay in any of the charitable homes, is often the only alternative. At the best it is simply shelving the problem, which will recur at some future date. The case of erring girls and women, in Auckland at any rate, is different. They can be handed over by the magistrate to the Salvation Army Samaritan officer, Major Annie Gordon, who is also vested with the powers of female probation officer, and in the event of further trouble can be brought before the court again and suitably dealt with. There is no such hold over the old men who constitute these problem cases. It should not be a question of any great difficulty to effect the necessary legislation to delegate powers similar to that of the probation officer to charitable workers such as the City Missioner, the Rev. Jasper Calder, or Staff-Captain Davies, of the Salvation Army. This would enable them to have some legal control over these unwanted down-and-outs who, for their own sakes as much as for any other reason, should be under some restraining influence, without being actually imprisoned. A TYPICAL INSTANCE A typical instance came before the court at Auckland a few days ago, when an old man of 83 who, it was said, had been in practically every charitable institution in the city and w'ould not stay in any of them, was charged with being found without lawful excuse in the Railway Station. While the problem of what was to be done with the old man wasi being considered, the City Missioner mentioned his scheme to build what he called a “half-way house,” where destitute people could be cared for. The aged accused he regarded as a typical case for such a home. Unfortunately, he said, the necessary funds were not yet available. There is no other institution where such people can be kept if they do not desire to stay. Rotoroa Island caters for the inebriate, but not for the wandering vagrant. The consensus of opinion in court circles seemed to be that the old man was the responsibility of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, but the man had already been in the Infirmary, it was said, and had simply wandered away from there. It may have been the board’s duty to take charge of a case such as this, but the fact remains that the board, or anyone else for that matter, has no control over him. The delegation of authority as suggested to charitable Avorkers and the officials in charge of charitable homes should in some measure solve the problem. At any rate, it would no longer be the painful duty of magistrates to send unwanted old me-' to prison. There is, however, another aspect of the suggestion to confer on certain social workers powers equivalent to that of the probation officer, and one that is equally, if not more, important. RUNNING WILD This is an age of the independence of youth, it seems, and there are always a number of irresponsible young people of both sexes who will not respond to parental or any other form of control. The result is that they “run wild,” and often end up in the Police Court, where the imposition of a term of probation is often the most effective way of bringing home to them the realisation' of their folly. So much for those who have actually brought themselves under the notice of the law. But what of those who are heading the same way—those, for instance, who have formed undesirable associates or are living harmful lives? There is no way at present of putting them under any restraining influence, assuming they are past conforming to that of the home, until an offence has actually been committed. Here again the delegation of suitable authority should have a far-reach-ing effect. If these youths and girls between ■ 16 and 21 could be brought before a magistrate—not in a public court, but in a place set apart, such as the Children’s Court —and, without being in any way punished. given what might be termed “a good talking to” and then handed over to the care of one or other of the workers, who would have the hority that has been suggested in ..ealing with the “problem case." the majority of them should be brought to their senses without the necessity of punishment. Not only that, but a number of potential criminals could be turned into respectable citizens. The moral effect of being responsible for their actions to someone ! who had the power to take them \ before a magistrate should have an extremely useful deterrent effect.