15.  In the new housing settlements the younger age groups predominate.  They are without the stabilizing influence of older people and established institutions.

16.  The work of all organizations which aim at building character is warmly commended as they help to prevent children from becoming delinquent; but facilities for recreation and entertainment will not cure juvenile delinquency.

17.  Liquor and gambling are symptomatic of some homes where there is child neglect.  The Committee deprecates the growing practice of parents conniving at the consumption of liquor at young people’s parties.

18.  Tension in the household, separation of the parents, lack of training for parenthood, the absence of a parental sense of responsibility or poor discipline all help to create an unsatisfactory home environment; the child of such a home often feels unwanted or unloved.  This unsatisfactory environment or feeling of being unloved is productive of much delinquency.

19.  Nearly one-third of the delinquent children whose cases were considered came from homes where the mothers, possibly out of necessity, went out to work.  Fathers themselves are also to blame when they neglect the opportunities available in the evenings or at the weekends to interest themselves in the welfare of their children.

20.  The high wages paid to adolescents on leaving school are an important contributing factor especially when those youths have not been trained in the virtues of thrift and self-reliance.

21.  In many of the cases investigated by the police the children have either been ignorant of the functions of sex or have too advanced a knowledge of its physical aspects.  When, how, and by whom the information should be given is very important.

22.  The present state of morals in the community has indicated the value of a religious faith, and of family religion.  Encouragement should be given to the work of the New Zealand Council of Christian Education.

23.  There has been a decline in certain aspects of family life because of a failure to appreciate the worth of religious and moral sanctions.

24.  During the past forty years new concepts have entered into society.  These concepts resulted from the unsettlement following two world wars.  The changes were the increased use of contraceptives, the broadening of the divorce laws, an increase in pre-marital sexual relations, and the spread of new psychological ideas.

25.  The Committee is unanimously of the opinion that adolescents should not buy or be in possession of contraceptives.  There is, however, some difference of opinion as to how this decision could be made effective.

26.  The state of the law regarding indecent conduct on the part of boys and girls operates very unfairly.  Boys who admit this offence are charged in the Children’s Court under sections of the Crimes Act for breach of which they are liable to terms of imprisonment of five to seven years.  Their names and particulars of the offence are recorded in the Police Gazette.  The girls (some of whom may have incited the boys to offend) cannot be charged; if they are brought before the Court at all, it is only when their parents are summoned for having delinquent children and their names are not gazetted.