"A WILD YOUTH"

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 90, 16 April 1917, Page 7

"A WILD YOUTH"

" THEFT OF POSTAL PACKETS.

"The police report that, he is a wild youth of extravagant habits and very hard to control," stated Mr. P. S.-K. Macassey, of the Crown Law Office, at the Supreme Court to-day, when William Henry Hobbs, aged 18 years, was taken before ,his Honour Mr. Justico. Chapman for sentence. • Hobbs had. pleaded guilty" to four charges of theft of postal packets. Hobbs was not represented by counsel, and made 'a personal plea for leniency. He stated that while employed; by the Post Office he had a small salary of £50 per yeaa- with £20 board allowance. He received £5 5s 3d per month, out of which he paid £4 per month for, board. Every third month board cost him £5, and so he had only a few shillings left as pocket money. "At last this worried me," Ro said. "I had nothing for myself, and co I was tempted to take some things. If you will give mo a. chance 1 ■ will enlist' and go and work on a farm."

Mr. Macassey. stated that at Christ i church on 15thJMarch, 1915, Hobbs was convicted of the theft of a horse and cart and was ordered to be detained in an industrial school. He was then licensed out and lived with his father at Petone. Laten he joined tho Postal Service at £30 per year, and when he was transferred to Woodvijle he was given £50, with £20 board allowance. The Woodville police reported that he was of an. extravagant turn of mind, a wild youth, and difficult to control. He owed over £6 for lollies and soft drinks. His mother was dead, and his father had married again. "That is the real reason, \\vhy the boy, left home," stated Mr. Macassey. His Honour dwelt at length on the seriousness of. thefts of postal matter, outlining what the consequences might be. For very proper reasons tho Judges had declined to grant probation, but that did not concern Hobbs, as probation lor him was out of the question! "Yon (»•» not qualified to receive probation," stated his Honour, "and I will order your detention for reformative treatment for twelve months. I will recommend that you be sent to Invercargill.