CRIME AND ADVENTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 70, 24 March 1933, Page 6

CRIME AND ADVENTURE.

The Chief Constable of Wallasey says that six out of seven burglaries in Tiis area are the work of boys and youths under twenty years of spri; (says the "Manchester Guardian"). Nor is it always poverty which drives these young offenders to crime; many of them, he tells us, are "well-nourished and" clad and had excellent homes." His own explanation of this aspect of the "crime wave" seems as fitting as any that could be found —these are idle lads, full of energy and adventure and born into a maritime setting and tradition, for whom there is no work waiting. "They see fine ships lying idle in the docks, but there are no berths for them." In other words, this is a tragedy of.energy and high spirits turned into a wrong direction largely because the right ones are not widely enough open. Even the Chief Constable's later complaint supports that view, for, in addition to criminal disorder among lads under twenty, he note* with annoyance their habit of talking "American" as learnt from the sound films. These lads want to be "tough guvs," and they evidently think that one step "in that direction'is to talk like them when they are tackled by the police. This is one' of the worst consequences of the world-wide depression. Fine ships and machines are idle; fine human material crumbles into ruin.