"NICK-KNOCKING."

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 247, 18 October 1926, Page 9

"NICK-KNOCKING."

CHARGE AGAINST YOUTH. NOT A CRLMLNAL OFFENCE. (From Onr Own Correspondent.) TALHAPE, this day. An unusual kind of case was brought before the Magistrate's Court, when a young man, 10 years of age, was brought before justices of the peace with being unlawfully on the premises of D. J. O'Neill on a Sunday morning. Sergeant O'Neill, in evidence, stated that at about 1 o'clock on last Sunday morning he was awakened by the sound of someone turning the handle of the front door of his house. He went out and saw accused and four others. He chased and caught accused, who said, when captured, that it was a joke. Witness said that accused's action had alarmed his wife and family. Mr. R. C. Ongley, who appeared lor accused, Baid he was only a boy of VJ. The offence was trivial, being that known as "knick-knocking." The clause of the Act under which the information was laid provided a penalty out of proportion to the offence. Accused had already been detained 24 hours in the cells, and he asked the Bench to dismiss the case, as he did not think accused should be made a criminal. The Bench: H all those who indulged in "nick-knocking" were made criminals a large proporton of youths would be thus branded. They considered the penalty attaching to the information out of all proportion to the offence. After further discussion it was pointed out that the accused had Spent some time in the lock-up, and had been sufficiently punished. He was eventually discharged.