Sessional_Paper_1931 — Page 59

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ميته

tion is in their opinion possible without contamination. We have ascertained that the Salvation Army is prepared to offer for certification as an industrial or reformatory school their existing Industrial Home provided the number of inmates warrant it. Cases which in England would be sent to an industrial school could also be sent to such institutions as the Victoria Home and Orphan- age, Kowloon City, or the Italian or French Convents or the Po Leung Kuk.

As in the case of Remand Homes, there is an entire absence of provision for boys, the existing industrial school being a Home for destitute boys but not corresponding entirely to the English industrial school. We are informed that it is the intention of the Salesian Fathers in conjunction with certain Chinese gentlemen to open an industrial school for boys and that the scheme is taking shape. Government with the approval of the Secretary of State for the Colonies has granted a site at Aberdeen for the purpose and plans for the construction of the school buildings are under consideration at present. We wish to give this scheme our hearty support as without it or something in its stead the Juvenile Courts cannot function fully. In so many cases the only obvious course is to remove the youthful delinquent or neglected child from unhealthy (home) surroundings and this must neces- sarily be for a period of years. A home to which he can be sent and in which he can be trained and possibly taught a trade is therefore vital to the success- ful functioning of the whole scheme. We understand it is the intention of the Committee charged with raising the funds to make provision in this Home for the reception of destitutes as well as delinquents but with the proviso that only destitute youths with five years residential qualification in themselves or their parents will be admitted. This is a reasonable proposal which we very readily endorse, as also the further proposal that juvenile delinquents be taken into the institution on six months probation and withdrawn at any time in the event of their proving unmanageable. The draft Bill makes provision to cover such cases and enables an institution to be relieved of the custody of any inmate for adequate cause.

In connection with the question of Industrial Homes we forward herewith as Appendix II* a draft Ordinance to provide for and regulate Industrial and Reformatory Schools. This draft contains all the main provisions of the old Reformatory Schools Ordinance No. 11 of 1901, which we recommend should be repealed, and provides generally for the institution and regulation of such establishments. It is closely modelled on the English law and Straits Settle- ments Ordinance No. 47 with only such amendments as are necessary to suit local conditions. It should therefore form a sound legal basis on which to found such institutions as the Aberdeen Industrial Home. One such Home should suffice for the present needs of the Colony. We understand that the Home when completed will be capable of accommodating up to three hundred boys with special accommodation for fifty juvenile offenders included in that number.

The draft Juvenile Offenders' Bill was submitted for criticism to the Senior Senior Magistrate, Mr. Schofield, who made the following recommendations:- Magistrate's

AC

recommen- dations on Draft.

As a further reform, I suggest that it should be made possible to order

offenders between 16 and 18 years old to report themselves to the Bill. probation officer at intervals for periods not exceeding two years in the case of first offenders. I do not, however, suggest that they should be remanded to places of detention for children or young persons, or sent to institutions for children ".

We

agree that this suggestion is an excellent one but it appears to be out- side our terms of reference. Mr. Schofield made the further recommendation :-- "I further suggest that if offenders between 16 and 18 are imprisoned they should if possible be kept away from older criminals, and that while under detention they should be kept in cells apart from older men".

*Not printed.