AN EXTRAORDINARY FREAK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4, 5 January 1903, Page 5

AN EXTRAORDINARY FREAK.

A little while ago (says the Sydney "Telegraph" of Tuesday last) the Padding-ton Superior Public School broke up for the holidays. On Saturday an unusual kind of breaking-up took place at the school, four boys, ranging- from 10 to 13 years of age, smashing up nearly everything in the school in a most daring and ruthless fashion. The four lads were discovered vigorously smashing the furniture, and tearing up the school requisites, which they methodically piled into heaps in the centre of the room. Constable Glass got into the school by the window, when there was a wild scatter, but he managed to secure two of the intruders —Archibald D. Bi'iggs and James E. Buckingham—the other pair making good their escape. On examination of the various rooms it was found that considerable damage had been done. Eighteen of the presses had been opened by bursting the locks, and the contents thrown into confused heaps on the floor. Many of the books were ripped to pieces, and in some cases the contents of the desk ink-bottle had been emptied over them. The table drawers iiad also received attention. The four clocks in the school were smashed beyond repair, while the piano was greatly damaged. With the aid of a tin iron bar, the whole of the felt hammers of the latter instrument had been knocked off completely—a task, an expert stated, that could only have been accomplished with the aid of grea,t force. There was also evidence of the work of destruction in the sewing room, ?.nd a heap of the prize sewing had been gathered and tied in a bundle with the window-cord, apparently ready for removal when an opportunity offered. Indeed, some of the smaller articles, such as small handkerchiefs, thimbles, etc., were found on a couple of the boys when arrested. An entry had also been gained to the cookery room, a small detached building at 'the rear. Here the lads had lit the gas range, and had done some cooking, and made themselves cocoa and coffee. The balance of the commodities there— such as flour, sugar, currants, plums, etc.—they piled in a heap on the flour, and, applying some water, had mixed up the lot together. The brass work of the range they daubed with Japan black, scrawled inelegant words on the floor, and dashed the balance of the liquid amongst the pile of cooking utensils. The two lads who were caught red-handed in the building were pupils of the schools, but were very irregular in their attendance. But two othersJohn Doyle (12) and James Doyle (10) —who were arrested' on Saturday night, had not attended the school at all. The four of them appeared at the Paddington Police Court next morning on charges of maliciously injuring, in company, the school property, and of stealing several small articles. Briggs is 12 years of age, and Buckingham 13. All are residents of Paddington. On the application of the police, the accused were remanded. . ,:.i i .*,■;