THEFT OF NEWSPAPERS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 November 1924, Page 4

THEFT OF NEWSPAPERS.

COUNTRY SETTLERS; THE SUFFERERS. It is only a few days since that, in these columns, we referred to th<? frequency with which many settlers were being robbed of their daily newspapers, especially in those eases where the papers are thrown off opposite farms by the service car drivers. We have received further complaints, the latest coming from a settler on the \ Sheet Road, between Jvapuni and Auroa. This settler says that he is not the only sufferer in his district, but iii his own case the position is so bad that unless he is waiting at the gate when the car passes he loses two-thirds or more of the papers. He attaches no blame to the drivers, nor do we; for these men we have proved to be most reliable and helpful, taking great pains to see that papers are correctly delivered. The plain fact is that the papers are being stolen. It has been suggested that children ‘ are the delinquents, being without knowledge of the quality of their acts. We cannot accept this view unless their elders are joined with them as- accessories, and in support of our Opinion have to emphasise the fact that the trouble of paper-stealing is always most in evidence when a special class of news is being'received, such as 'the All Blacks tour, test cricket; major racing events, etc. If children steal the papers regularly it is pretty safe to assume that the papers are taken home, and if so, who is to blame if the practice is not nipped in the bud? There are thieves in every community, and our considered opinion is that. in various districts people of this class make a practice of robbing their neighbours of their newspapers ; also, ,we attribute many of the thefts to pasers-by, casual and otherwise, who are not resident- in the neighbourhood, who themselves as opportunity offers. Whoever is at blaine these thefts are of the most despicable character, and no effort will be wanting on the part of the Star proprietary to- bring the delinquents to.. book. Mjany hundreds of settlers in South Taran aki are dependent upon the “throw off” system of delivery for receipt' of the Star daily. It is a very costly matter for the proprietary, and it is common knowledge that these papers are not dropped haphazard along: the road, but are intended for the settler on whose property frontage delivery is made. The - same remarks .applywhere a. bundle of newspapers is left at a. road intersection to be picked uf> by a runner, and by him delivered to subscribers aioii" a by-road. In regard to these bundles, we also wish .to caution settlers who may be subscribers theuiselvos from interfering with the bundles. Tf Air. K. happening to pass by, thinks h 6 will get liis paper a- little earlier by taking it from the bundle and helps himself k he probably , gets a paper addressed to another, .subscriber, sayv Air. S. The boy gets his bundle later oh and finds that th rt re 'is no paper for Air. S, so he misses that sub.spv.iher, but delivers one to Air. K. as addressed. The result is that the interfering Air. K -.gets two papers and the innocent, Air. S has to go without. We have already exn,licit!v that we do not blame children.' in the. matter, but if there should be an odcL case of the kind we aslc the co-operation of parents and ' teachers to check such mischievous or thoughtless acts: with regard to those whom we reward as the real delinquents. we ask the assistance of' the settlers generally. A substantial Reward will he paid for information loading to the detection of thefts of thi^Sfrar.'