Sir J. D. REESasked the Home Secretary whether he has received a letter from the women probation officers for Children's Courts of Tower Bridge, Old Street, Westminster, Clerkenwell, Bow Street, West London, and Greenwich Police 77W Courts, deprecating the creation of a Central Court as very detrimental to the best interests of the children, as a reform not desired by women, and as a retrograde step, and urging that the appointment of women assessors in Children's Courts is entirely unnecessary, as in every juvenile Court there is an experienced woman probation officer to assist and advise the magistrate; and whether the opinion of these ladies as well as that of the magistrates is to be over-ruled?
§ Mr. SHORTTI presume the hon. Baronet refers to a letter I received from the women probation officers in May last. I appreciate the very valuable work done by these ladies, and I sympathise to some extent with their preference for serving one magistrate rather than a bench containing members of their own sex; but they can hardly expect their views to be taken as deciding the question whether women should share as justices in the work of the Children's Courts. There never was any question of one Central Court.
Sir J. D. REESasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the remarks of Mr. Bingley, Magistrate of Tower Bridge Police Court, to the effect that he desires to associate himself with the protest of Mr. Disney, and that the London Magistrates unanimously disapproved of the Juvenile Courts Bill and sent a resolution to that effect to the Home Office; and whether the numbers of juvenile offenders have dropped to a pre-War basis, so that there is not sufficient work for existing Courts at existing costs?
§ Mr. SHORTTI have seen the remarks of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Disney, but in dealing with Police Court matters my adviser is the Chief Magistrate, Sir Charles Biron, who consults, according to circumstances, either the whole body of his colleagues or those in whose judgment he puts most reliance. I am glad to say that there has been a material reduction in the number of juvenile offenders, and, but for the necessity of having Courts within easy reach of all parts of London, the number of Courts might be reduced. Such reduction would not, however, effect any appreciable saving in cost, as the magistrates and staff of the Metropolitan Police Courts78W will take all the work of the Children's Courts.