STEALING A TAPE MEASURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9400, 5 January 1894, Page 3

STEALING A TAPE MEASURE.

A SCHOOLBOY IS TROUBLE. At the Police Courb yesterday morning before Messrs. R. Hobbs, and J. McLachlan, J.P.'s, a little boy named James Butter, aged nine years, was charged with having on the 3rd January, ab Brighton Road Remuera, stolen from the premises o: Wallace Bruce, one tape measure in i leather case, valued at 7s 6d. In answer tc the charge, the boy said, " No, sir, I die nob steal it, I found ib ab the side of the house." Wallace Bruce, accountant, residing at Brighton Road, deposed to the identificaioi of the article. The last occasion that h< used the tape was on the Ist January, when he believed he left it in the washhouse. Constable Lamb deposed that in conse- , quence of information thab he received hi i wont in search of the boy. He found him a 1 ; the back of the Savings Bank ab New market in '■ company with other boys 1 The lad showed witness the tape, which h( said he had found at the back of a house ir . Remuera. Witness and the accused went to the house, where the boy pointed out the spot that he took it from. Sergeant Gamble made application tc the Bench to have the boy committed to some industrial school. The Bench: On what grounds? Are his parents not able to look after him ? Sergeant Gamble : On the grounds that the boy's parents are not able to look aftei him. They allow their children to prow over the country, picking up bottles, and anything else they can lay their hands on. The Bench, after a shorb consultation, could not agree, and the case was held ovei until the arrival of a third justice. After the other business of the Court had been disposed of, the case was re-heard, Mr, W. Beehan being, present. Sergeant Gamble again made application to have the boy sent to the Industrial School. . The Bench asked if the father was in a position to pay for the lad's support. Thej thought ib was nob righb thab the country , should be saddled with the expense of keep ing such boys, i Sergeant Gamble said ho thought if would be much better to saddle the country with the expense of keeping the bo\ now than by-and-byo, when he gob intc Mount Eden. The Bench asked the father of tho boy tc come forward. The Bench : Have you gob control over your boy? The father : Yes, your Worhip. The Bench : Are you able to keep him' The father : Yes, I send him to school regularly, but the holidays are on now, anc he knocks about. - , Tho Bench: Would you like him sen! to tho Industrial School ? ! The father : No ; I do not want him eenl there —besides, I could not pay for him. The Bench : Did you send him to gather ■ bottles The father: No, ho went on his own . accounb. He wanted some pocket money tc buy lollies. Sergeant Gamble : Is ib not a fact thai • the whole of your family roam through th( country picking up odd things ? The father: I have never had a complain! made to me. Whoever told you thos< yarns, Sergeant, told you false yarns. Mr. Beehan said thab they had decided • to dismiss the case on (:he condition thai the father gave the boy a sound thrashing • in Constable Lamb's presence. Mr. Hobbs thought ca:-'e should bo taker nob to give tho boy too much. Tho lav was six strokes of the birch rod, that woulc make him remember ib. He cautioned tht father againsb breaking any of the boy'i bones. Mr. McLachlan said he wished the fathei to understand thab tho Bench had tht power bo fine, imprison, whip, or send the accused to the Industrial School. Out o! consideration for the boy's youth, the Court wished the father to beat him, and as h< had faithfully promised to do thab, the cast would be dismissed.