YOUTHFUL DELINQUENT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 256, 28 July 1927, Page 6

YOUTHFUL DELINQUENT

SENT TO BORSTAL INSTITUTE. Dominion Special Service. Christchurch, July 26. Sentence was given by Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., this morning in the case of a boy of 17, who was charged last Friday with an extensive series of frauds by which he obtained largo quantities of cigarettes and other goods. Mr. Malley appeared for the lad. "Unfortunately,” said the Magistrate, “this young lad is guilty of a series of offences involving charges of dishonesty, theft, obtaining goods by false pretences and so on. I heard tho probation officer’s report with great interest this morning, but I can’t see my way to put him on probation just now. Another boy. his mate, Was before the Children’s Court on Saturday and was committeed to the superintendent of child welfare. The only thing- to do is to send this lad to a BorstaT institute, and give him a chance in life There is a lot to be said for probation in many cases, but a series of dishonest frauds of this kind are evidence to me that there is a kink somewhere. We must trv and iron that out..” To Mr. Malley: I have • taken into consideration tho fact that the father appears a decent man, but be did not come up to the scratch before when this lad gave trouble. The Magistrate added that anyone who knew the Borstal Institute at Invercargill as well as he knew it, knew that it *>as a splendid institution. There was nothing of the prison type about it Accused would be committed to the institute for a period of not less than two years. ~ Mr. Malley applied for the suppression of the name, arguing that such an action would be for tho ultimate good of the boy. The suppression was granted, the Magistrate commenting on the youth of the offender.