UNUSUAL ORDER

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 3, 29 September 1943, Page 4

UNUSUAL ORDER

Chief Justice Compels Youth To Save

Compulsory saving was imposed by the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday on a youth, who, though earning about id a week, broke into an office. He is to live on £2/10/- a week for the next thre.e years. The prisoner was Oliver William Southern, motor driver, aged IS. and he appeared for sentence with Philip Leonard'Naylor, soldier and motor driver, aged 21, on a charge of breaking into business premises, whicl) they both admitted in the Lower Hutt Magistrates’ Court last "Tlis Honour remarked that Southern was the younger, but the police opinion was that he had been the lender in the escapade. Answering a question from the bench, prisoner agreed he was earning about £6 a week. ’ . “A youth of 18 who is earning ib a. week has no need to go breaking into other people’s premises with a view to stealing their money,” said his Honour. "The trouble probably is you have had too much money, too much money for your own good, and yojt have simply wasted it and then decided to get more, and this is your method of trying to get it. I understand you can still obtain employment, probably at the same rate of pay. but you are not going to have that money to go throwing away. Alter you have had enough to keep you the balance will be kept and handed over to you at the end of the period of probation I intend to grant tfou. The probation officer will have a certain amount of latitude in case your position may alter.” Prisoner was granted probation toi three years on condition that he pay the costs of the prosecution, £l/1/-, and that he give an order on his wages for all in excess of £2/10/- a week tc be paid to the probation officer for payment into National Savings Account in the joint names of the probation officer and Southern, the probation officer to have discretion to pav Southern more if it was required for legitimate purposes and to pay the amount saved to Southern at tlie end of the probation period. He must reside and work as approved by the probation officer. Tiie Crown Prosecutor, Mr. C. H. Cunningham, said Naylor had been out of the Army and on earthquake repair work for about 12 months. Since returning to the Army he had become an invalid as tlie result of an accident. Remarking thill prisoner had two children and that it was his first offence, his Honour admitted him to probation for 18 months. Southorn and Naylor were ordered not to associate with each 'other during thenprobation. .