BOYS IN TROUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 7, 8 January 1907, Page 3

BOYS IN TROUBLE.

A WHIPPING ORDERED.

A sitting of the Children's Court was held this morning., before Mr. R. W. Dyer, SJSJ., when two boys named Joseph and John Costello, aged twelve and nine years respectively, were charged that on or about December Gth, at Devonport, they stole a zinc box containing 400,000 cigarette covers, valuedi at £ 15.. belonging to Joseph Vvhitfield.

Sergeant Hendry sasd that the complainant recently changed his residence, and left Devonport, leaving the box oi cigarette covers in a wash-house, with the door closed but not locked. The boys appeared to have wandered into the empty house, and noticing the box, took it home.

Mr. Costello. the iather of the boys, said tliat he did not think they intended to steal, but on «;oing into the empty house they iound the box. and took the covers as playtjirngs. They had evidently seen grown-up people walking in and out of empty houses, and saw no harm in following the example of their elders.

His "Worship ssfid the boys must have known that they had no right to take the box and its contents. He -would not fine or send them to prison, but he would teach them a lesson. Both boys were convicted, and the elder boy was ordered eight stokes of the birch, and the younger six. -