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(3) Repeaters. —Tlie number of children who, on appearing before the Courts last vear, were making a second or subsequent appearance for offences was 376. The corresponding numbers for the five previous years were : 1945, 302 ; 1946, 339 ; 1947, 365; 1948, 340; 1949, 314. In determining these cases a very wide interpretation has been given to the term " repeater." No time-limit is set between the child's first and his second or subsequent Court appearance for offences, nor is the degree of seriousness of an offence taken into account. The total includes, therefore, many cases of offences of a minor nature, and frequently a considerable period has expired before an appearance at Court is repeated. (4) Trend Over Recent Years.-— ln the reports of recent years an indication of trend has been given by comparing the annual figures and the rates per 10,000 of the juvenile population (aged seven to seventeen) for—(a) Total Court appearances for offences ; (b) Appearances under the heading " theft ".; and (c) Appearances for the more serious cases, including those for offences against morality, against the person, theft, conversion, and delinquency. Comparison of the figures for 1950 with those for 1949 and for previous years is made more difficult because of the alteration in method of presenting the information on Court appearances introduced this year. The figures for the last two years are as follows : (a) Total appearances for offences — 1949. 1950. Total 1,393 1,378 Rate .. .. .. •• 44 43 (6) Appearances under the heading " theft " Total 822 867 Rate 26 27 (c) More serious offences — Total 1,025 1,110 ut Rate 33 34 The rates for appearances in 1948-49 are based on an estimated population as at Ist July, 1948, and those for 1949-50 on an estimated population as at Ist July, 1949. A comparison of these figures with those given in the table of the previous year shows that the comparatively low level of juvenile delinquency has been maintained. The slight variation between this and last year's figures could be taken as normal fluctuations only. AVhile it would be difficult or impossible to assign, with any certainty of reliability, specific reasons for the decreases in Court appearances over recent years, I would hope that the development of the preventive-work programme of the Division has assisted appreciably. All officers, and particularly the Child Welfare Officers in districts where there is a substantial Maori population, recognize that Maori children who are referred to them for assistance require particular attention, and that often there are special problems concerning their care, training, and vocational placement. In this part of their work they co-operate closely with Maori Honorary Child Welfare Officers, the Maori WelfareOfficers of the Department of Maori Affairs, tribal committees, Maori school staffs and Committees, departmental Vocational Guidance Officers, and others in the communities actively interested in Maori children and their families.

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