SEVERER PUNISHMENT PREDICTED

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 233, 30 June 1939, Page 13

SEVERER PUNISHMENT PREDICTED

Breaking And Entering

EXAMPLE TO ADOLESCENTS IN COMMUNITY

“I think the time is approaching, if it has not already been reached, when this type of offence 'by youths will have to be more severely dealt with by the courts.,” said Mr. Justice Reed after dealing in the Supreme Court, Wellington, with several cases of breaking, entering and theft. “No doubt it is in the interests of an individual offender that he should be kept away from contamination by prisoners by the use of the Offenders’ Probation Act. but it is really questionable whether it is in the best interests of the public, particularly the adolescent part of it, that the impression should be created that a young man should be able to indulge at least once in what appears to 'be the attractive crime of breaking and entering without punishment. Such an impression, if it gets abroad, will simply result in the creation of criminals, in my opinion.” If a man on the brink of a crime knew that he would be liable to punishment if he were caught he would be deterred from committing it, said his Honour. The time was approaching when, if not in the interests of offenders, at least in the interests of the public, punishment should be inflicted. Offenders Dealt With. His Honour sentenced to 12 months' reformative detention Gordon Alexander Anderson, labourer, aged 22, who had pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the jewellery shop of Lauchlan’s, Limited, Willis Street, and stealing stock. His Honour said that, in view of prisoner’s age. he would have granted probation if it had been likely to assist him to reform, but the public had. to be protected. Prisoner had started breaking the law when be was 18 and continued to do so. Eight months ago he hnd 'been granted probation and had been twice convicted of theft. On this occasion he had broken a jeweller’s window and stolen a number of watches. “Yours is an extraordinary case, said his Honour to Erie Arthur Alden, engineer, aged 23, who appeared for sentence on two charges of breaking . and entering a counting-house and committing theft, once by day and once by night. He did not quite know what prisoner’s mental eonditiop could be, said his Honour. Ho was a qualified engineer employed by a harbour board, but hnd been convicted of dishonesty seven times. Prisoner, who made a long statement from the dock, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment on each charge the terms to be concurrent. _ , , William Walter Davis, farm labourer, aged 20 and John Taha, farm labourer, aged 20. were ordered to come up for sentence if called on within two years on charges of breaking and entering a house at Hawern at night and stealing a tube of toothpaste. His Honour said he proposed to deal leniently with them in the hope that they would not be in court again. Davis was ordered not to use a motor-car which he hnd used on the night of the offence, Taha, his Honour said, had been led astray by Davis apparently. and hnd a small income which discouraged him from working. He was advised to get work.