ON THE DELINQUENCY OF CHILDREN

Taupo Times, Volume VI, Issue 288, 15 August 1957, Page 1

ON THE DELINQUENCY OF CHILDREN

IT has been said often enough in reeent years, but it is worth rejpea-ting, that children today are no worse than they were at the tuni of the centurv, and if there is an apparent npsnrge of delinqueiicy, it is the delinqnency of the parents, rather than the children. Statistics may be freqnently misleading; oue has only to see liow the same set of fignres receives differing treatment a few weeks before a general election, to realise that the significance of a group of fignres depends largely upon the point of view. It is a sobering thought that if more parents took a more than passing interest in the afterschool hours of their children, dnstice Department , statistics woulcl nndonbtedly sliow a decline in the graph of delinvqneney among yonngsters who have fallen fonl of the law. There is an old saying that the child who is kept b'usy, will be too busy to get into trouble. l>y and large, the toll of adoleseent misdemeanours in the Taupo area is not a serions statistie. It may well be that apart from the interest of parents in the welfare of their children, there is ample outlet here for the children 's energies and ample space in which they may move around. Among the Jiiaay sports activities in the Town, bnsketbali, for example, albsSrbs Ihe interest of at least 200 girls each Saturday. Latest addition is the sailing division of the Lake Taupo Vacht Club. Its iiitroductioii a few weeks ago by a haiidfnl of entlmsiasts has now blossomed to an active group of 25 members, and the executive seems hopeful. that the sport will appeal to a numher of senior hoys and girls at the high school. Yachting is oue of the finest sports on the summer roster; the enth usiasm with which the vounger generation at Taupo has begun to accept it, shows there is little wrong with their outlook. .*« ♦% .*. ♦*. .% ."• »% .*>♦ .% ♦*. ♦% »% »*«.*.