Hiring of Car by Boy Without Proper Inquiry

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 8

Hiring of Car by Boy Without Proper Inquiry

MAGISTRATE’S DISAPPROVAL Per Press Association. HASTINGS, March 6. strong disapproval oi me iact mat a boy of 17 had been permitted by a Napier garage to take away a rental car and keep it for a week, running up a bill for more than £5 without the knowledge of his mother, was expressed oy Mr J. Miller, S.M., and De-tective-Sergeant H. Nuttall in the Children’s Court. Napier, this morning when the boy appeared on a charge of making a false document—namely, a Post Office withdrawal receipt purporting to be signed by his brother, and causing the Post Office to act upon it as if it was genuine. He was placed under the supervision of the Child Welfare Officers for a year. After detailing the charge, the de-tective-sergeant said: “I think you should know, your Worship, that this boy got hold of a rental car from a local garage, and was allowed to run up a bill for £5 odd, without any authority from his parents whatever. He was supposed to take it for a night, and kept it for nearly a week, and the first information his parents had of it was when a man from the garage called upon them wanting to know when the car would be returned. “I think it is a matter to which some publicity should be given." The bench remarked that judging from the appearance of the boy it should have been known that he was too young to run up such a bill. Some Inquiries should have been made. In reply to questions from the Child Welfare C-ficer, the boy said he was not asked his age. The man at the garage had asked him if he pomesed a driving licence. The bench: The matter should be gone into with a view to stopping the practice. It is a bad one. To the boy: I understand that this offence is jurt a lapse on your part, and that your character is good. In consideration to your mother I’ll look upon it as a temporary lapse. It is a serious charge, but in the circumstances I will not enter a conviction. You will be placed under the supervision of the Child Welfare Officer for one year.