REEFTON LARRIKINISM.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 37, 10 April 1878, Page 2

REEFTON LARRIKINISM.

TO TIX.E K&JTO.H, OF TI^K TTMRsJ, Sin, — In the interest of public, duocnoy nnd propriety pormit mp io draw attontioi to wlmt nppoars to bo a crying ovril in this young community. I rol'or to tho shocking dopruvily of the bnlL of wjiat

may bo olassod as tho street children of Keofton. At all hours of tho day. and night dozens of children of both soxos, nuny of them apparently tho offspring of woll to>dq pnrouts, may bo soon romping through tho scoots uu,d back aluiqs ongngod in, all kindq of misohipf, and cou« ytrncting tho taos.t harmful propensities, to thoir after lifo. Tho language indulged in by many of tb,o m '3 of l V mo^ filthy and disgusting character, and quit© frequently is ov<m appalling in its gros,snoss; Tho ring«loa,dorß of theso streot nuisanooß aro som,o halfydogcn b.oys, tho i dopths of whoso blackguardism, it would | bo difficult to find fln oqnal iv, almost any community in tho world. During alter* cations between theqo young blackguards, tho language usod in of tho yiVost apd mpst odious dogreo, and. it is mado uso of with a boldness, and lou/lne.ss whio.h 890 ms to dofy all restraint. Shoi^ld a passerby von»u,i'o.to robako tba offondcrs ho is mot with an i,noroasod ou^-pour of, diqgi^sting abuso followed, by volltos of sfonoq and other n^^silo^. Scenes flinch as those aro listcnod to, if not actually participated in by nu,ra,bor.B ofyoungorchildron.and vyhat must bo tho roßU,lt R ]^o Inter th.nn. Sund>y lnst a nunxbor of thoso yo.ung bjaokguards took up, a position in a lpadinj? prompno,dp; and for several hours tlio wholo neighbourhood rnng with their I quarrolu and their, filthy u.ttora.nccH. What I can paron,ts bo about to permit their o.'iil" dren to tnko part in such degrading and demoralising scenes P What .looner could contaminate tho youthful mind llinn example of this chiiractor, and it is only to bp foarod that wp know not of the worst. ]jf pnronts will so blind'y nngl,oot tho best intorps.ts of th.vir childri'n is it not ri^ht that tho potfep shoul,d stop in, and, in the intoroat of publio d.ocenQy and decorum endeavor to put nn ond at oucw to the ovil. Iwouldovon suggest tha,t tho first boy found offending publicly in the ma-nnpr stalod should bo conyoyol at once to, tho polico station, and tho parents being sent for a proper punishment by (l)gi{ing •bo infl,;o.'ed, summarily. I trust, however, tha,t parents will soo tho awful rosponsi- : bilily tlioy incur by allowing their children to roam, at will, through the stroots, partieulirly at ni^ht, to form bands of yout\u thioyes who prowl upon and despoil gardona, smash windows, streot lumj>s, and. do iuuuinprablo other mischief. Trusting theso fow remarks w,'H bo ac« oeptod in opbor ouriiest by. oil tUoughtfuj pprcuts. I nm, &c., A WELTi»WIBIir,Jt ; Bopfton, April Bh. IS7B.