WILFUL DAMAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 128, 2 June 1938, Page 10

WILFUL DAMAGE.

YOUNG MEN'S CRIMES.

COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. "Probation' in this case is out of the question," said Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., when .dealing. .with two young men to-day. Adolescent crime is serious in New Zealand at the present time, par-tieularly-as regards the taking of motor vehicles and the damaging of motor vehicles." ■

The accused were James Joseph Furlong, .aged' 22, storcman and. packer, and Lyall Reginald Thornton, aged 21, driver. They were ' charged with wilfully damaging five motor cars to the extent of £67 and a fence to the extent of £7, and wilfully breaking nine panes of glass in the windows of the Dominion Museum. Furlong was further charged with wilfully breaking a pane of glass in a Harbour Board notice board, and Thornton with wilfully damaging two tiles, the property of the Harbour Board.

It was unfortunate, said Mr. Luxford, that both came from good families, but he was not going to take that into consideration.: . .

' Four months' imprisonment was imposed on one charge of wilfully damaging a motor vehicle. Furlong was placed on probation on anfbther charge. Both were, convicted and discharged on the remaining charges. The evidence showed that the accused got a bottle of whisky and were goinsr about drinking it. After first being at a skating rink and a dance they went up to the Dominion Museum and threw stones at the windows. Afterward they amused themselves by releasing the brakes on cars up Brougham Street and allowing them to run down the slope to stop where they would. A visit to the harbour sheds followed.

Counsel said the men had beer before the whisky and one could only assume they were crazy with drink.