Mrs Lucy Veronica O'Brien, Vice-President of Women's Auxiliary of Inter-Church Council on Public Affairs: Arch-Diocesan President, Catholic Women's League.

Rev. John Spenser Somerville, M.C., M.A., Chairman of the Inter-Church Council on Public Affairs.

Mr Francis Nigel Stace, B.E.(Elec.-Mech.), B.E.(Mech), President, N.Z. Junior Chamber of Commerce.

Secretary

Len Joseph Greenberg, O.B.E., J.P.


ContentsPage
I. [Preliminary Observations]--
(1) Sensational Press Reports[7]
(2) Press Reports from Overseas[8]
(3) A World-wide Problem[9]
II.[Order of Reference and Procedure Followed][10]
III.[Narrative]--
(1) The Hutt Valley Cases[11]
(2) Cases in Other Districts[13]
IV.[Has Juvenile Immorality Increased?]--
(1) Difficulties of Comparison in Absence of Statistics[13]
(2) Unreliability of Available Statistics for Comparative Purposes[14]
V.[A Change of Pattern In Sexual Misbehaviour]--
(1) Younger Groups Now Affected[18]
(2) Precocity of Girls[18]
(3) Organization of Immorality[19]
(4) Recidivism[19]
(5) Changed Mental Attitudes of Girls and Boys[19]
(6) Homosexuality[20]
VI.[Searching for the Cause][20]
VII.[Some Visual and Auditory Influences]--
(1) Objectionable Publications[21]
(2) Films[23]
(3) Broadcasting[25]
(4) Press Advertising[26]
(5) Television[26]
VIII.[The School]--
(1) Teacher and the Child[27]
(2) Co-education[28]
(3) School Leaving Age[29]
(4) Relations with the Child Welfare Division[30]
(5) Sex Instruction in School[30]
(6) "New Education"[31]
IX.[Community Influences]--
(1) Housing Development[31]
(2) Recreation and Entertainment[35]
(3) Liquor and Gambling[36]
X.[The Home Environment]--
(1) Feelings of Insecurity: The Unloved Child[37]
(2) Absent Mothers and Fathers[39]
(3) High Wages[40]
XI.[Information on Sex Matters]--
(1) When Should This Information be Given?[41]
(2) Who Should Give This Information?[42]
(3) The Source of Information[42]
XII.[The Influence of Religion on Morality]--
(1) The Need for a Religious Faith[43]
(2) The Need for Religious Instruction[44]
(3) The Need for Family Religion[44]
XIII.[The Family, Religion, and Morality]--
(1) The Importance of the Family[44]
(2) The Place of the Family in the Legal System[45]
(3) The Sanctions of Religion and Morality in Family Life[46]
(4) The Moral Drift[46]
XIV.[Changing Times and Concepts]--
(1) Contraceptives[47]
(2) The Broadening of the Divorce Laws[48]
(3) Pre-marital Relations[48]
(4) "Self Expression" in Children[49]
(5) Materialistic Concepts in Society[49]
XV.[The Law and Morality]--
(1) History of the Law Regarding Morality[50]
(2) Protection of Women and Girls from Defilement[51]
(3) Consent as a Defence[51]
(4) Weaknesses in the Law[52]
(5) Proposed Reforms[54]
XVI.[Child Welfare in New Zealand]--
(1) History of Legislation[54]
(2) The Children's Court[55]
(3) Corporal Punishment Abolished[57]
(4) Defects in the Act and its Application[57]
(5) Changes Proposed[60]
XVII.[Summary of Conclusions][63]
XVIII.[Recommendations]--
(1) Proposals for Legislation[66]
(2) Proposals for Administrative Action[67]
(3) Parental Example[68]
XIX.[Appreciation][68]
APPENDIX A:[Table of Sexual Offences for Which Proceedings Were Taken
in New Zealand
]
[69]
APPENDIX B:[List of Witnesses, Submissions, and Order of Appearance][70]

I. Preliminary Observations

(1) Sensational Press Reports