HOMELESS VAGRANTS’ UNENVIABLE PLIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 180, 20 October 1927, Page 11

HOMELESS VAGRANTS’ UNENVIABLE PLIGHT

S.M. RECOMMENDS AN ISLAND HOME AND USEFUL OCCUPATIONS

“In again. Out again!” This unfailing prison procedure for a certain type of human derelict has been responsible for Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., emphasising the necessity for a special vagrancy home for these offenders. He has suggested an island in Auckland Harbour, preferably Roto Roa or Pakatoa, for this purpose. I WANT to make it quite clear that I do not intend that such an island should be a prison for these unfortunate men, for whom, at the present time, there is no alternative for a magistrate but to send them to gaol for three months or so,” Mr. Hunt explains. An amendment of the Act, he declares, would be necessary in order to make these men “habitual” offenders, so that they might be committed to the island. At present Mr. Hunt has no option but to send these men to prison. Visiting Koto Roa Island recently he was surprised to find that only two Salvation Army officers were in charge of 50 inebriates. “If this can be done with inebriates,” he thought, “the same thing can be accomplished, with very little expense to the Government, with vagrants.” EXAMPLE OF ROTO ROA

Mr. Hunt suggests that vegetablegrowing, tree-planting and other work might be carried out by these men. They could be placed on a different part of the island to the inebriates, and they would not come in contact with each other. Some of the vagrants, says Mr. Hunt, when free are a constant danger to the community. Attracted by the congenial climate of Auckland, they are by no means averse to sleeping in the open air. “If, for instance, one of these men dropped a match in the backyard of some warehouse it might result in a really serious conflagration,” h€‘ points out. If, however, they were placed on an island out of harm’s way they would be infinitely better off, and would be no cause of anxiety to the community at large. Owing to the fact that the majority of these men have been before the court on more than one occasion they are unable to obtain the ordinary relief available to the respectable poor. Penniless, and hopeless, their plight is a desperate one. The only provision made for them by the State is prison. “I think the island proposition is a much better one than that,” is Mr. Hunt’s contention.