YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 28, 1 February 1919, Page 5

YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS

LARGE SUM OF MONEY TAKEN

Six boys, whose ages ranged from 10 to 13 years, were brought before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Juvenile Court this morning, one to answer a charge of stealing £27 from . his mother who keeps_ a confectionery and refreshment shop in one of the city suburbs, three of them to explain their part in receiving stolen money, and these latter three and two others not concerned in the other charges to answer a charge of entering a seaside "bach" ans stealing therefrom a voltmeter, valued at 35a, an ampmeter, valued at 20s, and £1 14s in money.

Constable Price gave evidence to the effect that on Ist January the owner of the confectionery shop complained that she had been losing considerable sums of money, and that she suspected her boy. When interviewed, the boy at length admitted having taken the money, and explained how he had shared it among the other boys. Each of the latter admitted having received shares of the spoil, and also having told the actual thief to go into the house and steal the money from a handbag which was kept in his mother's bedroom. This morning, however, one of the boys denied that he had any knowledge that the money received by him had been stolen, and insisted that'any money he received was in return for picture film and playthings which he had given to one or other of the boys, but after hearing what the other children had to say, the Magistrate said that it seemed to him that the boy must have known that some of the money at least had been stolen. Most of the money has been recovered or refunded.

The boys, said the constable, all had good parents, and there seemed to be no reason why they should have acted as they did. "Pure mischief, poasibly," said Mr. Frazer, "I suppose we have to blame the influenza and the long holidays resulting from it." Four of the- boys admitted having been concerned in the theft from the "bach," and after hearing evidence in regard to the charge against the fifth boy, the Magistrate dismissed the information against him. After .severely admonishing the boys, the Magistrate adjourned the cases, one for two years, and the others for one year, the boys in the meantime jto be under the supervision of the Juvenile Probation Officer. Tho parents of the boys concerned were ordered to refund what amounts were still missiug.

Mr. J. Dineen, the Juvenile Probation Officer, said that certain boys on probation were not keeping strictly to the terms of that probation, and he wished to stress that if either of the boys concerned in the present charges offended In that reep&cV they would at once be brought before the court ajeua.