A WAYWARD YOUTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 40, 16 February 1929, Page 11

A WAYWARD YOUTH.

■ ■ DRINKING, SMOKING AND BILLIARDS. EVIDENCE Or SI.Y GROG SEUOTG. WELLINGTON, this day.

Some rather surprising facts regarding a boy of 16 were given in the childrens' Court to-day, the magistrate, Mr. McNeil released evidence for publication. Toe boy »u charged with having stolen £3 4/6, which he had to pay to tha Union Shipping Coy., by whom he was employed. It was stated that since leaving school, he had worked for various firms; that on one occasion Le was dismissed for impudence, and on another he was on the point of being dismayed for the same reason, but left of bis own accord; that during the past few months he had been procuring liquor, smoking, and visiting billiard saloons. His conduct about the street when under tha influence of liquor had been very bad. While working for the shipping company, he told his parents that he was being paid monthly, to keeping hi« weekly wage*, which he spent on drink and cigarettes.

Called by Mr. McNeil, the boys father agreed that a period of disciplinary training would be of benefit. Addressing the boy, Sir. McNeil said: 1 have a report that you hare been getting liquor; that you and some other boys have been frequently at a bous* in Newtown and been able to purcha** and consume liquor of an ereninz. la that so?" The Boy: That's right." He bat been obtaining beer from the bouse for about two months. Mr. McNeil: Do you know anyone els* who has been getting liquor " at thia place?— Numerous others. Mr. McNeil: Numerous others?— Or. tainly.

The boy said that only one of tb» other boys he had been keeping com. pany with had been drinking. Mr. McNeil said he thought a period of six months at Weraroa, suggested by the Child Welfare Officer, was not long enough. The boy had lost all sense of responsibility. **I see you are intelligent," he said. "You obtained honours in arithmetic when at school. You want to put your faculties to better use than you are doing." He committed the boy to the Superintendent of the Child Welfare Department, with a strong recommendation that the first twelve months should b» spent at the Boys' Training Farm. Weraroa. The boy's father was ordered to make good the loss suffered by the L'nion Company.