d by a closer
scrutiny of some of the individual matters narrated to the Committee.

_III. Narrative_

=(1) The Hutt Valley Cases=

Before proceeding to examine the extent of sexual laxity among children
and adolescents it is convenient to narrate the factual happenings which
caused this problem to assume such large proportions in the public mind
in July and August last.

On the 20th day of June 1954 information was sought from the police
concerning the whereabouts of a girl 15-1/2 years of age who was missing
from her home at Petone. A few hours later this girl called at the
Petone Police Station. She stated that, being unhappy at home with her
stepfather, she had, since the previous Christmas, been a member of what
she called a "Milk Bar Gang" which (in her own words) met "mostly for
sex purposes"; she had "become tired of the sex life", was worried about
the future of its younger members, and desired the police to break up
the gang. She gave the names of other members of the gang to the police.
By interviewing persons named by this girl, and then interviewing others
whom they in turn named, the police were able, without difficulty, to
obtain admissions and evidence of sexual misconduct by 65 children.

The procedure followed was for the parents to be visited at their
residences by a constable in plain clothes, told the nature of the
inquiry, and informed of the desire of the police to interview the
children at the police station. When a parent and child attended at the
time appointed the parent was informed that, either through a sense of
shame or fear of the parent, the child might not make a full disclosure
of the facts known to her. Some parents consented to their children
being interviewed alone; others desired, and were allowed, to remain for
the questioning. After each interview the parents were permitted to read
the statements of their children and to sign them before the children
themselves were asked to sign.

The disclosures thus made, immediately recalled certain similar
occurrences in the same district during October/November 1952. It
speedily became apparent that the 1954 situation was much more serious
in that there were approximately three times as many children dealt with
and that three of the children had been involved in the earlier trouble.

For purposes of comparison the Hutt Valley cases are set out as follows:

Girls involved 6 17
Girls