A BOY THIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14808, 11 October 1911, Page 5

A BOY THIEF.

SENT TO INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

SECOND-HAND DEALER FINED.

At a sitting of the Juvenile Court, held yesterday by Mr. Cutten, S.M., eight lads, whose ages vary from nine to 13, were charged with having stolen £10 worth of tire bars, the property of the Auckland Hospital Board, on the 19th of last month. It appeared from the evidence that some months ago the Board purchased 4201b weight of fire bare for use in the destructor, which were left lying on the ground near the destructor buildings. When they were required for use it was found that they li*d disappeared entirely. The matter was placed in the hands of the police, and Detective Powell's inquiries resulted in the whole of the missing bars being discovered at a foundry. It was also learned that a boy named Campbell, who was one of those charged yesterday, had been a patient at the hospital some time ago, and had had opportunities of seeing the bars lying about the place. When he was diecharged he informed a number of his young companions that the secretary of the Hospital Board had told him he could take a way any old scrap iron he found lying about the grounds. With the other boys he proceeded to carry off these bars, and they disposed of them to a secondhand dealer for some 12s or 13s. Chief-Detective Marsack, who conducted the- prosecution, said the dealer did not appear to have realised the value of the articles until he took them for sale to the foundry. All f the accused boys were of respectable parentage, and nothing was known against any of them, except the boy Campbell, who seemed to have got out of control, and his father wished that he should be sent to some institution, where he would be looked after. All the fire bars had been recovered.

His Worship admonished the boys, who had all admitted their wrong doing, and added that he would not enter a conviction against them, but would order their parents to pay what costs had been incurred. The boy Campbell was sent to an industrial school. ■',-.. "'■? , • -. ■ -.' '.

Later on, in the Magistrate's Court, George Kinnerly, licensed second-hand dealer, of Stanley-street, was charged with having bought the bars in question from a boy under 16 years of age. Chief-De-tective Marsack "said the defendant had acted quite straightforwardly when questioned by the police, but at "the same time he had shown great carelessness, for anyone could see that the boy who sold the iron was not 16 years old, and the knowledge that a ready market was always obtainable offered a serious temptation to young lads. His Worship imposed a fine of £2, with 19s costs. •, ;•.-,?' ' .'