HOUSE BURNED TO GROUND

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 298, 13 September 1937, Page 10

HOUSE BURNED TO GROUND

Escapade of Boy of 15

ACTION TO COVER THEFT

OF MEDAL

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Christchurch, September 12.

The extraordinary case of a young boy setting lire to an occupied dwelling to cover up his theft of a gold medal valued at 15/- was revealed in the Children's Court on Saturday morning. Mr. 11. A. Young, S.M., presided. Three charges were preferred against the boy. They involved the stealing of a bicycle valued at £l7/5/-, breaking and entering a house from which lie stole a medal, and setting lire to an eightroomed house valued at £5OO. A plea of guilty was entered in each case. The police statement revealed that the boy was 15 years of age and at present was under the guardianship of the State. He had been licensed out to work in the country, and on the day of the Springbok-South Canterbury match he entered a house some 200-odd yards away when the occupiers had gone off to the football match. He stole the medal, and afterward, when he saw traces of his gum-boot marks ou the premises set fire to some papers which resulted in the house being destroyed. The cycle was stolen later and had been recovered. ■Counsel for accused said it appeared that special circumstances made it difficult to manage the boy. All the crimes, ho said, had arisen from one series. The boy had burnt the house to cover up his theft and had then stolen the bicycle iu order to get home to his mother.

“There are special circumstances connected with this boy,” observed Mr. Young, in announcing that the boy would undergo a special examination and that he would be returned to the department