WERAROA BOYS BREAK TRUST AND ESCAPE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6863, 19 March 1929, Page 3

WERAROA BOYS BREAK TRUST AND ESCAPE

A CAR STOLEN. THREE SURRENDER AND RECEIVE PUNISHMENT. Six boys from the State Training farm at Weruroa, abused a spell of liberty given them on Thursday last and escaped from a picnic party of which they were members. Three of the boys broke open a private garage and removed a car in which they successfully eluded their pursuers and proceeded to the Oroua district. The period of freedom enjoyed by the “joyriders" was brief however, for they surrendered to Constable Colbourne at Palmerston North on Saturday evening. The other three are still at large, but it is expected that they will be apprehended shortly'. Put on Trust. On Thursday a picnic was held for between seventy and eighty of the boys, who were taken on tho excursion under supervision. In the morning the manager (says an exchange) had addressed the boys, when he referred to the good time, that was provicld for them at Christmas and the spirit of co-operation which it had engendered. He asked them, if on being trusted at the picnic, they would “play tho game," and they- all replied that they would. Unfortunately there wero some who were not to be relied upon, as three of them slipped away from the picnic ground about one o’clock, and three more disappeared about 3 p.m. Car Appropriated. The same evening the escapees visited garages in their search for a car to take them further aiield; but they were frustrated in each of these cases by the cars being locked. They proceeded then to a residence where they broke the garage door, found the car unlocked, with three gallons of benzine in it, and drove away. •On Friday morning, it was discovered that three boys had left a sixcylinder c.ar along the roadside at Halcornbe. A motor mechanic lived nearby, but the boys failed to enlist his help and were seen to cross the railway line, presumably making for open country. Two constables from Feilding arrived on the scone and searched the neighbourhood until darkness set in. They failed to find any trace of the lads. Borstal Detention. The three boys responsible for appropriating the car appeared before the Children’s court in Palmerston North yesterday morning on charges that at Shannon they did steal benzine valued at 10s from F. E. Bradley; an axe, hoc and spade, valued at £1 3s from John Hennessy; confectionery valued at £2 from Alice Connolly, ou whose premises they were alleged to have wilfully damaged a plate glass window valued at £2O; and that they did convert cars valued at £350 ,tho property of A. Mottorshead, and £250, the property of G. Darragh, respectively, to their own use. Each was sentenced to three years’ Borstal detention. Mr. Darragh’s car was recovered on the Bunnythorpc-Palmerston North road on Saturday night. Beyond a dent in the back of the vehicle, it was undamaged. An air rifle was found in the car having been left by those who “borrowed’ ’the vehicle.