POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 18030, 26 July 1922, Page 6

POLICE COURT

Wednesday. July 26. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) YOUNG MANN ROBBED. : A young Chinaman, with the descriptive name' of Toung Mann, missed a pair oE new boots from his wharo at Riverside (near Outram) recently. The boots were traced to another young man, by name Leonard George Woodhousc, who, after denying that ho knew anything of the tlxitt. admitted ho had gone into the Chinaman's lean-to Avhon passing one night and taken tho hoots.—Sub-inspector Eccles said accused had been under the control of tho juvenile probation officer, who had experienced ja good ( deal of trouble in regard to Woodhouso’s squandering of his money. —The Magistrate said that he would like' a report from the probation officer before disposing of the case, and remanded the accused until Tuesday next. Bail was allowed in £lO, with one surety of £lO. ’ DRUNKENNESS, Herbert Thomas Windmer Wright Horne, perhaps finding tho burden of Jus multiplicity of Christian namcs_ too much for him, has appeared twice tins in court on charges of drunkenness. This, morning the magistrate fined him 20s, in default forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, and warned him that it would be bad for him if he came up again on a similar charge. , JUVENILE COURT. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) PROHIBITED ‘-THE PICTURES.” A batch of juveniles were brought up on various charges of theft. Tho first to appear wore three very small youngsters, apparently about ten to twelve years of age, who.admitted breaking into the store of Mrs M'Connell, South Dunedin, and stealing lollies, lemonade, chocolates, and other delectable things to a total value of £8 3s.—Chief-detective Bishop displayed a chisel and tomahawk, with which, ho said, the bovs had broken through two windows at the'back of the shop. They had made considerable mess in the place, and l taken away a lot of stuff, which they planted and gave away at intervals to other boys. —Mr Lock (juvenile probation officer) said tho middle boy was the brains of the trio, and'that the smallest boy had simply been led by tho others. The boys had told him they had seen just such a similar scene depicted on the klnema screen. Ho (Mr Lock) had not the slightest doubt that the pictures had impressed themselves on tho boys’ minds, and had influenced their action. Tho parents were decent people, and there was a large family,—The Magistrate questioned the two elder boys regarding their impressions of the kinema. He then said he would adjourn tho matter for twelve montlis, each of tho two boys to reoivo a birching at tho hands of the juvenile probation officer and to remain under his charge. The fathers of the boys were ordered to make restitution of the £8 3s in weekly instalments of 10s. The youngest boy was admonished and discharged. His Worship further ordered that none of the boys was to attend “ tho pictures” until tho expiration of tho twelve mouths. THEFTS FROM SHOPS.

Three neatly-dressed and decent-looking boys, whoso ages ranged from twelve to fifteen years, wore then, charged _ with thefts committed at various shops in the city. One of the boys was also charged with receiving.—Bub-inspector Eooks- said that the scene opened on July 2, when a young lady who was playing basket ball lost her purse, containing 5s fid. This she had laid down by the shed while she went to play. Next day the purse was replaced, but minus the money. The boy charged with this theft also admitted taking six bouncing balls .from Whitcombs and Tombs’s and several expensive pencils and a fountain, pen from the D.I.C. Ho was in company with two other boys some of the time, and: the latter now pleaded guilty to stealing pocket knives, from Laidlaw and Gray’s and J. R. M'Kcnzie’s. One of the boys pleaded guilty also to receiving some of the articles knowing them to have been stolen. The Sub-inspector went on to say that the thefts from shops were corhmitted during tho Gapping Carnival, when students wore crowding tho streets and entering shops, and when a lot of people wore about. In choosing such a time the boys hnd shown a good deal of ingenuity and criminal intent. The biggest boy was the master mind, though his father was a most respectable citizen. Since the thefts the parents had made full restitution. —Tho Juvenile Probation Officer said that the boys came from good homes.. Both the parents and the schoolmasters had been surprised and shocked to hear of the occurrence. Tho eldest was now working with his father. Mr Lock adjled that he thought the hoys would make good if given a chance.—Tho fathers of tho hove, in reply to tho magistrate, said they bad given their respective sons a sound .thrashing.—His Worship said it w r aa satisfactory to know that the parents fully appreciated the situation. Tho boy charged with receiving would be admonished and discharged. The cases against the others would bo adjourned for twelve months, meantime the boys to bo under tho supervision of tho juvenile probation officer.