FIRE ENGINE "JOY BIDE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16128, 17 January 1916, Page 7

FIRE ENGINE "JOY BIDE."

YOUTH BEFORE THE COURT.

CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED.

[>,T TEI.EGKArH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Hamilton', Sunday. Ihe youth, Harold Roy Mclndoe, the perpetrator of tho Cambridge fire engine " joy ride'' episode, was charged at Hamilton, before Mr. E. Rawson, S.M., with being illegally on the premises of the Cambridge fire station, also with obtaining tho hire of a horse, saddle, and bridle from Messrs. Dalgliesh and McDonald, of Hamilton, by falso pretences, i Accused pleaded guilty to both charges, but on being assured that tho second count could not succeed, the police withdrew it. Senior-Sergeant Cassells stated that the youth had walked a mile into Cambridge and got out the motor fire engino with all the fire-fighting gear at- | tached. Ho had travelled tho 12 miles into Hamilton without lights. Upon arrival at Hamilton something went wrong, so he lift tho motor in a side street, and next morning procured a horse, saddle, and bridle from Dalgliesh and McDonald'.- stable, by representing that li" was employed at 'a livery stable in » 'anil.ridge. Mi- promised to return the animal and equipment, by the mail man. inftead of \. hi, !.. ujxm reaching Cambridge. bo turned the h.,rso adrift. Accused's only miv -.us that he wanted to go for a "joy ride." Mclndoc's elder brother stated that this was the first time the ln>v had been in trouble. As the. result <>f an accident, when a child, his nose had been broken, and the doctor who attended him had expressed the opinion that the accident would eventu-" ally affect the hoy's brain. Whether that would explain the present escapade ho could not say. The magistrate characterised the boy's conduct as a " colossal piece of cheek" and "an act of the greatest impudence.'' The accused did not look over intelligent, and lie did not want to send him to gaol. Mclndoe was, therefore, convicted and discharged, with an intimation that if he misconducted himself again he would be committed to the. industrial school.