LAZY AND WELL-DRESSED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 215, 11 September 1925, Page 9

LAZY AND WELL-DRESSED.

v LIVED ON HIS MOTHER." sXys the probation officer theft of books. AUCKLAND MAN'S OFFENCE. {By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. The form of punishment which he chould impose on a man charged lith dealing books was debated for same ■ L Mr H V. Widdowson, S.M., in time by Air. ii the 31a*"i*trate's Court to-day. Reformative detention was finally decided upon pending the wishes of the Minister of 'justice (the Hon. F-ir James Parr), x lie T oun- man was Manuel Valvoi, who came up for sentence on four charges of stealing books. , Chief Detective T. Gibson: This young m an is already on probation. The Magistrate: You have not charged him with "a breach of that. The Chief Detective: No, he has been hefore tbe Court previously for breaking his probation. The report from Auckland says that this man is lazy and veil dressed. While in Auckland he lived on his mother, who is a respectable woman. . . The Magistrate: How long ago is it since he committed the offence in Auckland? The Chief Detective: Four years. "The Probation Officer says that he has been working on and off," said the Magistrate. "The Auckland officer reports well of him. He is 22 years of age. What chance is tliere of reformation?" The Probation Officer (Mr. F. Rule) : I think he ought to be kept for quite a bit. "My mother and sister are both dying." said Valvoi, "and it will kill them if I am kept here." The Magistrate: The accused does not say that he committed the thefts because he was short of money. The accused: I was trying to get home to my mother and sister. "The proper way is to get help from the probation officer, and not commit theft," said the Magistrate. "What I am wondering about is whether he is fit to be sent to the Borstal Institution or to prison. Of course, tliere ia reformative detention." The accused: Can't I have another chance? I'll go north to-night. Mr. Rule: I think lac Borstal institution is the better place. This young fellow was convicted of a crime, broke his probation, and then committed another offence. Tho Magistrate: I don't know whether the Borstal Institution Act was established for that. Mr. Rule said that he was speaking from contact with Valvoi, and perhaps his history would reveal that the Borstal institution was not the best place. The Magistrate said that the Act was primarily for the detention of young offenders. He felt inclined to send j Valvoi to reformative detention, and leave it to the Minister to say whether I he should go to a Borstal institution on' the two major charges, those of stealing £3 17/ worth of books from Simpson and Williams and £2 5/ worth from L. M. I Isitt, Ltd. He would be sentenced- to two years' reformative detention at' Paparoa, concurrently. On the other charges he would be convicted and discharged.