BOY FOR SENTENCE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 19, 22 July 1927, Page 8

BOY FOR SENTENCE

DIFFICULT POSITION

FUNCTIONS OF CIIILDKEX'S COURT

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evening Post.") CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A iifteen-year-olcl boy, who was committed to the Supreme Court on charges of robbery with violence and with attempted breaking and entering, and who appeared for sentenco yesterday was sent back to the Children's Court! Mr. Justice Sim presided. Tho Crown Prosecutor (Mr. A T Donnelly) said that though the two oftences the boy had pleaded guilty to were grave of their kind, it seemed that lie should not be sont to a Borstal Institute if it could be helped. Tho case had been stood down for a week to see what could bo done, but now a difficulty was created by the wording of a section of the Child Welfare Act. Tho section obviously contemplated " that children under sixteen should not, in circumstances where the Children's Court thought it proper for the child to go to the care of the superintendent be brought before the Supreme Court but the offence was a grave one, which would not in ordinary circumstances bo doalt with by a Magistrate. He understood that at present action was being taken in Wellington to have tho Act ameudod in order to clear up tho difficulty. "What do you suppose should bo done with him, Mr. Donnelly?" asked the Judge. Mr. Donnelly said that if tho Judge had power to do so, it seemed that tho proper course would be to sentl the boy to the training farm. If his Honour felt tl>a,t the case should go back to tho Children's Court, Mr. Donnelly was sure that the Magistrate would seiid the boy to tho training farm. His Honour remitted the case to tho Children's Court to be dealt with there.