YOUTHS’ CRIME

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 249, 18 July 1942, Page 3

YOUTHS’ CRIME

Chief Justice’s Comments

“It’s a very saddening and shocking thing to see a group of five lads in times like these coining before the Court on a series of criminal charges,” said the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers), when Harry Alfred Durston, aged 20, soldier and farm labourer, Ronald Leslie Waitoa, aged 19, labourer, Benjamin Sinclair Ritchie, aged 20, soldier and farm labourer, Douglas Moore, aged 19, labourer, ami Ronald Speight Somervell, aged 20, soldier and labourer, appeared before him for sentence in the Supreme Court, Wellington, on Thursday. All five had been committed from Gisborne, Durston, Waitoa and Ritchie for attempting to break and enter a shop with intent to commit a crime, and Moore and Somervell on two charges of breaking and entering a shop, nml theft, one charge of breaking and tn crin" a shop with intent to commit a crime, and two charges of unlawfully convertiti" a ear. . . ■Three of you are serving in the forces, tuo bavin" been absent for some time wjilmut leave,” his’Honour went on. ‘‘Nmm.'wiili the exception of Ritchie, is a first offender. One would have thought that youths like you, with a grain of seme.'would have seen that there is work to lie done for your country. _ Not necestoiriiy military work; there is also civil v. .>rk for everyone to do. But instead of he nmg you seem to be increasing the cm.iirry’s difficulties.” . . Moore wns sentenced to he detained in :i Borstal institution for two and a halt re.ers. Somervell for three years, Durston for two years, and Waitoa for two years. Ritchie was ordered to come up for sentence within 18 months if called on.