YOUNG SEAMAN’S THEFT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 75, 22 December 1926, Page 5

YOUNG SEAMAN’S THEFT

CHECKED AT CRITICAL AGE. Having pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court to two charges of theft from a dwelling at Palmerston North, Michael Joseph O'Grady, a seaman, nineteen years of age, appeared for senlente before His Honour Mr. Justice MacGregor, in the Supreme Court yesterday. Mr. P. J. O’Regan, who appeared for prisoner, stated that this was prisoner’s first offence. Though not a native of New Zealand, he came to the country when quite an infant, and had resided 111 Wellington ever since. Prisoner’s parents .-aid Mr. O’Kegan, were hardworking people. The chief trouble appeared lo be that the young man had been placed in tho world on his own accouait at a rather early age. Prisoner bad done fairly well at school, and for a time served in the Postal Ifepartuieixt. which he was compelled to leave owing to his defective eyesight. He then went to sea, where he led rather a rough life, and acquired drinking habits, having repeatedly l>een under the inlluence 1 of liquor. Prisonei was not reillly a bad youth, but gave cue the impression of being a little weakwilled. Counsel suggested that the ease was perhaps one where probation might meet all requirements, if it were gianted under suilieiently strict conditions, especially as regards intemperance. Counsel understood that nearly everything taken hud, been recovered. His ; Honour: I think the best thing for the lad would be lo go to a Bcrstal institute fox - a year, for his own sake. If he had a temptation to drink, there would be no way to stop it. You cannot prohibit a lad of nineteen. Mr. O’Regan; Of course, it is quite a matter tor Your Honour, but it seems to me that it ought to be possible to check a youth of nineteen. Your Honour could make it a condition that he report to the police at frequent intervals. His Honour; He is evidently drifting now, and this is just the critical time. He docs 'lot seem to be a bad boy iu some respects. 1| he got some restraint now ho might pick up. 1 think that he ought to be sent to a Borstal institute. Prisoner was accordingly sentenced to bo detained for reformative'purposes in a Borstal institute for a period not exceeding two years.