HOUSE-BREAKING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 218, 15 September 1930, Page 3

HOUSE-BREAKING.

"MUST BE STAMPED OUT." TWO OFFENDERS SENTENCED. CRIMES OF YOUNG MEN. House-breaking is prevalent i'n Auckland city antl district and must lie stamped out, said Mr. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court to-day. His Honor sentencecl one offender to two years' and another to one year's imprisonment "with hard labour, a'nd in each case made an order that the term of imprisonment should be followed by two years' reformative detention. A Maori, Mati Ivura (22), who had pleaded guilty in the lower court _to charges of theft, breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, and arson, was described as a fisherman and labourer. He had been left an orphan at ten years of age, and had been, under the care of his uncle for twelve years, I but the control, was somewhat lax. "To Relieve Poverty." For over 19 months Ivura had been out of work, and his counsel, Mr. Henry, said he had embarked ou his caieei of crime to relieve his poverty. He had stolen a pair of trousers from aboard a vessel, and had found a. number of articles in the pockets. When he committed the crime of arson lie'was intoxicated. His action in setting!fire to a shop was a "stupid, drunken act." Only mice had he been; in trouble before, and ho had been admitted to probation, but had 'not profited by his experience. His Honor said the # prisoner did not come before the Court with an unblemished character. He had been convicted for theft, but refused to take advantage of leniency on that occasion. The most serious crime in the present series was that of arson. The depositions showed that the building was set on lire in two places. On all the charges the. prisoner was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour, and a further two years' reformative detention. Bequest from Father. A sentence of one year's imprisonment, with hard labour, and two years' reformative detention was passed upon David Baden Powell (22), who admitted four offences of breaking and entering and theft and two of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime. Powell had been out of work for a considerable time, said Mr. Schramm, on the prisoner's behalf. When only 17 he was convicted of an offence and sentenced to two years' reformative detention. Last November he had received some money under his father's will, and since then he had done no work. It was difficult to say anything in the* prisoner's favour except that he was a young man. He had received no more than £5 from his thefts, and they were stupid crimes. A review of Powell's. record, said his Honor, showed that he had once been committed to the Borstal Institute. ■ He had been wandering about the streets, had entered six different premises, and there were three different cases in which he had been guilty of housebreaking. • "It is well known this crime is prevalent and will have to be stamped out/' said his Honor. •