HIS LIBERTY FOR A BIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 299, 16 December 1911, Page 9

HIS LIBERTY FOR A BIKE.

A -NATIVE'S ESCAPADE, A native, -lad, George Coffee, about 1C years of age, was brought up at the Police Court to-day on charges which resulted from an escapade invelving theft -ind forgery. He was employed! iby a fc.rmer at Helensville, and was paid off in November with a cheque for £i A few daji later he went into a wharp, which he, used to occupy in company irith _ another farm servant, MeDougall. He there erased the "one" on the cheque and made it "ten," and added the necessary cypher to the figures. Then he went through McDorugaO's portmanteau ana* asiracted a couple of £1 notes. He proceeded to the nearest storekeeper's and cashed' the altered cheque, which yan later cashed successfully by .the storekeeper at the bank. Emboldened •by his succors, Coffee went to another farroer ; with a couple of £1 notes, and asked far a cheque for £2- in exchange, 'stating that he wished it to send by post to his mother. He got it; and with-eraser and pen converted it into an orde'r-for £lO. Several attempts to pas? "yiis forgery with young fellows of" his acquaintance failed, and,scentingtroube Coffee tore up the paper. . He admitted the" whole thing when arrested. Mr Alan Moody, in pleading for leniency for accused, supplied the motive for thq <•^ifhe , . It seemed that Coffee's life's ambition was to get a bicycle. The possession of a cheque for £ 1 and an inspiration pointed the way to gratify this deaire, and the eluinsy fprgery followed. He''bought a bike for £O, sent £3 to Jiia mother, and kept a couple of notes. The etfsy complaisance of tire bank in the mat'ter inspired the unfortunate second attempt. In reply to counsel's plea to.give the lad a chance, the magistrate .stated that the best form of kindness to ncoueed was to turn his instincts firmly in the right direction, and to that end ine would -be sentenced to two years', reformatory treatment. t