Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2241, 12 May 1877, Page 4

THE frequency of acts of depredation on property by juveniles in various parts of the city lias been so serious of late as to point to the necessity of adopting some decided measures to repress the ovil. In a case which came before the Court, a few weeks ago, a number of boys, Avith the instincts of incipient ruffianism, Avantonly attacked the stall of a harmless and inoffensive old shoemaker, and destroyed the windoAV panes. Following that there have been many cases of fowl-stealing and other mischief, only a few instances of Avhieh have boen brought home to the perpetrators. In many cases, a regard for the parents, or a repugnance to appearing in the Police Cou-t, has prevented the injured parties from laying informations. Yesterday two boys Arere punished for breaking Avindows in a, house the property of Mr. F. L. Prime, situate in Picton-street. In this instance the boys, without any other motive than a mere love of wanton destruction, went to the house in open daylight, and commenced to bombard the Avindows Afith stones, destroying eighteen panes of glass, of tho value of £1 7s. Fortunately they Arere detected in the act, and punished; but in many instances the guilty persons escape Avithout recognition, and all subsequent efforts to trace thorn are unsuccessful. The practice can only be put doArn _by the citizens co-operating Avith the police in every possible way. No attempt should be made to shield delinquents from mere motives of sqtiaamiahness, as it is a matter in Avhieh property-holders at large are interested. Probably the infliction of severe whippings to boys caught in the perpetration ef injury to property would have the effect of checking the spread of juvenile Vandalism, and the time is not distant when the Legislature will be brought face to face with tho problem of providing reformatory machinery to reclaim those whofrom early associations and the misfortune of hereditary viciousness go to sAvell the ranks of the hardened criminal, the dissolute, and depraved, and to burden the exchequer of the country.