“TOO MUCH EASY MONEY”

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 November 1946, Page 4

“TOO MUCH EASY MONEY”

DIFFICULTIES FACING YOUNG PEOPLE MAGISTRATE’S COMMENT “In spite of the denials, there does seem to be too much easy s money for young people to-day i and perhaps it is not entirely : your fault that you are careless ; and do not seem to know the value of money.” These remarks were directed by Mr. A. A. McLachlan S.M. to a youth , of 18 years, who appeared in the Police Court at Greymouth to-day on a charge of stealing £B, the property of a workmate with whom he was sharing a hut. The accused had informed the Magistrate that his net earnings from the coal mine in which he is employed were £l4 a fortnight. Mr. J. W. Hannan, for the accused, admitted the facts of the police case, but entered a formal plea of not guil { y to enable the circumstances of the case to be placed before the Magistrate. . Senior Sergeant R. C. Mcßobie said that on the night of October 6, the accused arrived home about i a.m., when his mate was asleep. He went to his mate’s trousers and took the £B. When questioned, he first denied taking the money but later admitted it, saying that he was “hard up.” > Complaint Unexpected. The accused, in evidence, said he took the money because he had not collected his own pay and wanted £5 to send to his mother. He did not think that his mate would go to the police, and, when he did, he (the accused) got frightened and at first denied taking the money. In reply to a question by the Magistrate, the accused said that he intended to give the money back as soon as he collected what was owing to him at the mine office. “I did not want the money, I get £l4 a fortnight myself,” he added. Replying to further questions by the Magistrate, the accused said he had £ 14 a fortnight left after the payment of tax. Since last March he had saved £35 and had sent about £2O home. He had also bought clothes. Over the early part of the period he ' had been paying £3/10/- a week board. He was 18 years of age in September last. ! The Magistrate: Not far out of the Children’s Court category. It would have been a good thing for you if you 1 had appeared in that court as then I would have made the opening of a ! savings account a condition of len--1 iency. Questioned by the Senior Sergeant, the accused said he had no reason at . all for actually taking the £B. i To the Magistrate: I did not tell my L mate immediately as I wanted to wait until I had the money, on Monday, to • pay him back. •* , “Almost a Kindness.”

The Magistrate: Subject to what you have to say, Mr. Hannan, it seems that it might almost be a kindness to admit him to probation, with a condition as to saving. Mr. Hannan said he proposed to ask for probation for the accused, and as it was the first time he had been before the court, for suppression of his name. The accused was admitted to probation for a period of 18 months, one of the terms being that he complies with whatever the probation officer suggests by way of allotting his pay. “In time you will be a lot better off,” commented the Magistrate and added the remarks quoted above. The accused was also ordered to pay 7/6 police expenses.