AMAZING RECORD'

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 173, 24 July 1930, Page 8

AMAZING RECORD'

YOUNG CRIMINAL BAND.

CAMBRIDGE "FIRE BUGS."

FOUR GIVEN HARD LABOUR

TWO SENTENCED TO BORSTAL,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

HAMILTON, this day. With last week's smile noticeably absent, and the cheer apparently gone from . their souls, six of the ten Cambridge "fire bugs" who pleaded guilty to arson, theft and mischief came for sentence before Mr. Justice Herdman todaj\ Their attitude markedly changed, probably because of their imprisonment in cells' for a week, they were a glum sextet as they lined up in the front of the.dock. . The accused were: —John Vickers Featherstone, .aged 18, who pleaded guilty to IS charges; Harvey Charles Hall, 22, twelve charges; Edward Dorringtou Braun, 22, twelve charges; Alfred Dorrington Braun, 23, eight charges; Walter Sidney Goodall, 18, five charges; and John Meredith, 29, four charges. Judge Looks for Reason. After listening to the picas of counsel his Honor said it was sad indeed to see 'such a band of young men in the position in which they stood. It was not a position that young New Zealanders should be proud to find themselves in. It seemed to his Honor it would be impossible to discriminate to any extent between the charges. Accused were determined to carry out their criminal practices; as a gang, and in a melodramatic fashion. ' had styled themselves "The Gangsters." He was puzzled to account for this extraordinary outbreak of crime'. It was not want that had driven, them to commit the serious offences to which they had pleaded guilty, nor did it appear to be desire for gain; Moreover, it was not a sudden impulse that,caused them to go from place to place committing acts of destruction. He could find no excuse and could think that nothing would explain it excepting a definite criminal instinct. They had acted deliberately and systematically. The depositions showed, said his Honor, that for months they had been engaged in a campaign of destruction and theft. How long they would have continued committing these acts, had they not been arrested, it was difficult to say. i Detectives Praised. "Fortunately," lie added, "the. vigilance of detective officers stationed in Hamilton, whose .ability and efficiency are deserving of praise, brought you to justice, and it is now for me to make sure, for some time, at any rate, that ybu-will not be able to repeat your past performances." * ' , 1

His Honor said buildings.had'gone up in smoke, stacks had been burned, a car had beeir set on fire, and another car had been.'thrown: into" a river.-Property to the value of £4000 had 'been de-

stroyed. 7 It was. qn amazing record for a band of young inert. ■' /'' ■:

"It is not often in New Zealand that a judge has. such a .series of offences to consider, or such a collection of young criminals to deal with," said his Honor. "One .thing, is certain. ; You must, be punished with severity, and in such a way that other young men may bo 'deterred from imitating, your example." The prisoners were sentenced as follow:—•' Meredith, Hall and the two .Browns, each- to two years' hard labour, to be foll.owed.by reformative detention for a term\not exceeding three years. Featherstone and Goodall, three years' Borstal detention.