"JOY-RIDING."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1932, Page 3

"JOY-RIDING."

YOUTHS IMPRISONED. I c "CONVERTED" SEVERAL CARS. v a SEQUEL TO ALFKISTON AHREST j* o MAGISTRATE'S STAND. h The sensational midnight iighl in a store at Alfriston last Saturday was j, recalled to-day when four young men!" appeared at the Police Court, each s charged with breaking and entering the * store of Sydney Ernest Gregory, with intent to commit a crime. The same four men were also involved in a scries of offences concerning missing motor! . cars, and evidence was given showing that they had been using the cars for "joy-riding" purposes. j. The accused were Horace Ivan Chatles „ Collard (17), shunter, John .Jack Fbct [ (17), storcnmn, Harvey Frank Wearer ( J (20), motor mechanic, and Douglas Mic- fl holas Arnold (17), butcher's assistant. t All four were each charged with unla.w- t fully converting two motor cars, vnlusd j at £105 and £100, to their own use. Fleet, t Arnold and Collard were further charged with converting to their own use motor cars valued at £200, £400 and £250, while Arnold, alone, was charged with unlaw- - fully converting a motor car valued at £175, and stealing an overcoat and scarf 8 value nt £2 Id/- Fleet, alone, was also e charged with the theft of n cycle valued c at £1. Collard and Arnold were charged together with unlawfully converting a ( motor car valued at £175 to their own I use. All pleaded guilty. ] Several Cars Taken. < Detective Sergeant Kelly said that on f the night of May 21 the four accused f went to -Mount Hobson Road, Kcmuera. , where they saw a "baby" car. All t entered it,'and with Weaver at the wheel they drove to Otahuhu, where Arnold replaced Weaver. They then drove 'to Alfriston. Some kept watch while others broke into Mr. Gregory's store. While j breaking in Arnold was caught and detained. The other three men ran to the stolen car and drove back to Auckland, where the car was abandoned. On the night of May 12 the same four accused took a "baby" car in Grafton Road, and went for a ride to Kohimarama and back to town, abandoning the. car in the domain. Two nights later Fleet. Collard and Arnold walked to Gillies Avenue and took another car, in which they drove to Clcvedon. There they decided'to go for a ride to Hamilton", but they lost their way and returned to Tuakau, where the car ran out of benzine. They slept in the car, and then decided to walk back to Auckland. They got as far aa Pukekohe, where Fleet took a cycle which he found on the road, and rode back to Auckland on it, leaving the stolon cycle, in the domain. Collard and Arnold kept on walking until they reached Papakura, where they took another "baby" , car and drove to* Auckland. This car was abandoned in the city. Theft by One Youth. "On the night of April 30," added Mr. Kelly, "Fleet, Arnold and Collard walked to the corner of Owens Road and Gillies Avenue and entered another motor car, driving to Maraetai and back to Auckland, this car also being abandoned. On April 17, Fleet, Collard and Arnold walked to Remuera and took a car, in which they again drove to Clevedon. Once more they returned to Auckland to abanion the car. On May 14, while walking down Grafton Eoad, Arnold ■ looked into a parked motor car and • seeing an overcoat and scarf, he stole C them? These were found in his possession when arrested. Arnold, together I with another youth, who is to appear ; at the Children's Court, went to Epsom i and took another motor car on the night 1 of March 4 and went to Alfriston, where > Arnold broke into Mr. Gregory's store." Mr. Kelly eaid the parents of the youths were respectable people and good ' citizens. Collard was a shunter and was one of a family of 21. Weaver was 2 married man with a wi"c and one child. Arnold, considered to be the ring-leader . of the gang, lived in a room at Parncll. His parents lived in another part of 1 Auckland and lie would not live with them. j Counsel for Arnold said he had enjoyed an excellent character. He had to ~ make his own way in the world and only : - received £1 per week. After paying for I his room and meals lie only had a few shillings left. .* Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.: That lias " nothing to do with taking numbers of motor cars. If he took food or money I could understand it. Counsel: Arnold is not the dominant ~ typo. He is of the passive type and i- easily led. s Counsel for Collard said ho. lost liis c position some time ago. His faults f started when Arnold came to his house eto live. Collard's mother rebuked c Arnold, who left, but it ww too late, ; - as the damage had been done. There " was no doubt of the influence of Arnold. Fleet's counsel told the magistrate that he was one of a family of nine and jj gave his earnings to his mother. He was certainly under the influence of a j stronger mind, c "Your Worship's duty in these cases II is an onerous one," said counsel for Weaver. "Your Worship has to see that '■ the punishment fits the crime; you have '■ a duty to the public, while there is also the ultimate effects of the punishment. ''■ Weaver is only 20. He is married and (1 lias one child and his wife shortly expects (1 another. That is a responsibility he 11 should never have had at such an age. 11 Ho is not yet out of his apprenticeship. There is the taint of imprisonment if y he were sent to gaol from which he .£ would never recover." ■f All counsel suggested that sentence n might be deferred until accused were dealt with at the Supreme Court on the ■f more serious charges. e "Would Be an Invitation." Mr. Hunt said that when young men il were <?ent to prison it did not mean ° that they were ruined. "I should not s be discharging my duty to the public ■r and the community," he said, "if 1 overit looked the taking of so many motor cars. If I wore to let them go it would simply mean that it would be an invitation to every other larrikin that they could s, take motor cars and not be punished. I sentence each of these men to three months' imprisonment on two charges, the terms to be cumulative. The sen3, tences will be served at Waikeria. If the authorities like to reduce their_ sentences—well and good. I've finished ' 4 with them now." Counsel for Weaver asked the niagis- - frate to reconsider his case. He had only taken two cars, and was still an - apprentice, although a married man. - Mr. Hunt said he would not reduce the - sentence, but if an application were e ; made to the Jiifiticc Department he >G would support it.

Struggle in Shop. All four accused were then charged with breaking and entering Mr. Gregory's store at Alfriston with intent to commit a crime. Arnold, alone, was further charged with breaking and entering the- store and stealing tobacco, cigarettes and 7/0 in money, of a total value of £1. Sydney Ernest Gregory said he conducted the store and post office at Alfriston, and for some time past, with his wife, he had been sleeping in the office, which was attached to a grain store. On Saturday last, at midnight, he was awakened by the noise of an iron bar dropping on to the floor. This bar was used to bolt the door. Both lie and his wife got out of bed, and he got hit* shotgun, which was loaded with saltpetre, and took up a position at the shop counter. The door of the grain store opened and two men entered. "I called upon them to put up their hands," said witness. "They wore both wearing muillcivi up to their eyes. They ran towards the door and I chased and caught one of them — Arnold, He fought, and hit me over the head and body with hiis fists, and ripped my pyjamas. Ho got away from me and ran to the back of the shop, but I caught him ;nid another light ensued. He got away again, and picked up a slasher, and tried to hit me with the handle. I again closed with him and told my wife, who had a large knife, to hit him with the back of it. She did so twice and Arnold then gave in." Witness kept Arnold until Constable Maloney arrived and arrested him. Mrs. Gregory and Detective Packman also gave evidence, the hitter producing statements made by Arnold and the other accused who were later arrested. Arnold, Fleet and Collard pleaded guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Weaver pleaded not guilty, reserved hie defence and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. His counsel stated that Weaver was not responsible for breaking and entering the litore, as when this occurred he was away from the place, and asleep.