"A FAST LIFE"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 133, 3 December 1930, Page 12

"A FAST LIFE"

YOUTHS CONVERT CARS

FIFTEEN JOY RIDES

SEQUEL IN COURT

Two youths, Stanley John Preston and James Laurence Jamicson Tait, both twenty years of age, appeared at the Magistrate's Court to-day before Mr. E. Page, S.M., on thirteen joint charges of unlawfully converting motorcars to their own use. There were two additional charges of a similar nature against Preston. Mr. W. E. Leicester, who appeared for the two accused, entered a plea of guilty to all the charges. Sub-Inspe-ctor Ward said that the offences had been committed between 29th September and 25th November. The accused, had taken the 'cars from parking places in the city and had driven round. Oriental Bay and other bays. They had then abandoned the cars in the city or at the bays. Two of the cars had been damaged. KIMS AND TIRES MISSING. One of the cars had a rim and tire missing, and on another the spare rim and tire had been put on the front wheel, and the original tire' and rim were missing. A piece of brown paper had been put over the engine of one of the cars taken by the accused, and it had been suggested that it was put there with the intention of causing a fire. Preston, who was earning £.2 10s per week, lived at home with his parents. Tait, who was out of work at the time, was also living with his parents. Outlining the circumstances that led to the arrest, Sub-Inspector Ware1 said that Preston had taken a car in daylight,- and had driven it round the bays. The owner had gone out in search of the car, and found Preston driving it. The accused was then questioned in regard to the other charges, and admitted them. Tait was subsequently arrested. LEADING A FAST LIFE. "The police report that both the defendants have been leading rather a fast life, and their parents have no idea where they are," continued the Sub-Inspector. "There Sre two more charges against Preston, so that might suggest thai he was the worse, but tho police found it very difficult to distinguish between them." The accused were frank with the police when they were interviewed in connection with the charges, said Mr. W. E. Leicester. They had taken the cars for the pure joy of driving them, and although some of the cars had been left abandoned, there was nothing to show that the accused had done anything more than joy-ride in them. It was not consistent with their behaviour that they should have put paper in the engine with the idea of destroying the cars. Both the accused denied having put the paper there. In no case were the cars taken for more than an hour, and they did not take them outside Wellington.. Mr.. Leicester submitted that this was a case of pure joy-riding and excessive mischief on the part of the young men. The offences, which had all occurred v.-ithin three months, were to some extent one continuous offence. The Probation Officer, Mr. T. P. Mills, said that both the accused had rather good characters, and just from that point of view they were worth a chance. The other point of view was the public interest. There had been a considerable number of these offences lately, and they were giving a great deal of trouble to motorists. "There are a large number of charges, and they must learn that offences of that sort will inevitably bring trouble on them," said Mr. Page. "I will fine them £.20 each on tho first charge, and on the remaining charges I propose to admit them to probation for, two years." The Magistrate made an order for the accused to make good onehalf of the damage, amounting to £8 10s each. The accused were ordered to pay off tho amounts at the rate of 10s per week.