BOYS PROTECT GIRLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 24 February 1923, Page 7

BOYS PROTECT GIRLS.

PRAISED AND ADMONISHED A PECULIAR CASE. There was an unusual case at the Juvenile Court this morning, when five boys were charged with having thrown stones to the danger of passers-by. Evidence was given by a girl twelve years of age that- on a recent evening she was standing with another girl near Victoria Park, when a man came up audj asked her where a certain street was. She replied that she did not know, and called to one of the Iwys charged, who was standing on the opposite side of the street. All the boys name over, and two of them offered to show the stranger tlie street.' 'Shortly.''afterwards they came hack and told the girl to go home, as I here was a bail man about. The boys stated that the man in the case, after walking along with them for a short distance, made inquiries which led them to warn the gills to go home. They then followed the man into Ponsonby Road, and the man being unable to shake them off, threw a stone at them. The boys replied to this single shot, with a volley, and the man went into a Hsli -Imp and phoned for the police. Three of the boys waited for the arrival of the constable, and when he was going to arrest them, ihe eldest said: "It's tiie man you ought to arrest — he's not lit to be at large." "I believe the story of the boys." said Mr. Poynton. S.M. "They waited ■when tbey knew the policeman had been summoned. Indeed, it was very creditable of them to stick up for the girls and warn them to go home. However, it was wrong of them to throw stones. "Always stick up for the girls, boys." said Mr. Poynton. addressing ihe youngsters "just as you did in this case: but don't throw stone-. The case is dismissed." Mr. Terry and Mr. Sullivan appeared for the boys, and Mr. Mouatt to watch the interests of the man concerned.