A JUVENILE GANG

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 241, 25 July 1935, Page 6

A JUVENILE GANG

MANY CHARGES PREFERRED. (Per Press Association). BLENHEIM. July 24. A gang of live boys, all under 14, appeared in the Children’s Court this morning to answer 36 charges involving the conversion of motor-cars and the theft of money, chocolates, watches, hot water bottles, electric batteries and bicycles, the offences being spread over a long period. One of the party, in company with two others not before the Court, after being concerned in the theft of motor vehicles, proceeded to Picton. There they sold the stolen bicycles, and with the proceeds paid their fare to Wellington, the intention being to proceed somehow to the United States, but the police gathered them in. The police stated that one of the fathers had thrashed his son. “I think almost too severely,” added Sergeant Smythe. The father of another boy said he had thrashed him unmercifully, and offered to exhibit the weals in Court, but the Bench hurriedly declined. The police said that on one occasion the ringleader got out of bed late at night, made his way to the homo of two ’other members of the gang, aroused them, and with them went joy-riding in converted cars. One lad was committed to an institution for two years, and the others were placed in the charge of the Welfare Officer for a year.