POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16310, 17 August 1916, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

•GANG OF LARRIKINS." " These are members of a little gang of larrikins/' declared Sub-Inspector MrIheney in the Police Court yesterday when Thomas Purdy, Charles Downev, Leslie George Donaldson, Stanley Holden William Minogue. and Winnie Smith were charged before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M.. with loitering on the footpath of Victors Street so as to obstruct the free use of it by passers-bv. All pleaded guilty. Continuing his remarks, the sub-inspec-tor stated that the defendants were seen standing outside a shop kept by an old lady. They appeared to be annoving her, and when a constable tame upon the scene the old lady was chasing them away with a stick. When the constable was seen all ran away except Donaldson and Holden. Some of the others told the cor. stable that they did not care about him and the girl said she was there to meet her " boy." The keeper of the shop said that those who had annoyed her had escaped when the constable arrived. Donaldson awl Holden had not annoyed her, and she expressed the view that all of them would have been away if it had not been for the presence of the girl. " You see." she added, " boys will always be where the girls are. It is only natural." Constable Robertson stated that there was always a crowd of bovs and girls on the footpath in that \icmity. On the occasion in question they were" obstructing the path, and some six or eight others escaped. Holden and Donaldson were the only two who did not run away. Various explanations were given by the defendants. One said that he had gone to the shop to " meet the mob." and the girl said she was talking to her "boy" while waiting for a friend to go to the pictures. The charges against Holden and Donaldson were dismissed, the magistrate coi. sidering that they had some sort of business there. The others were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within six months, and to acree to any conditions imposed upon them by the probation officer. If his report in six months is favourable the matter will be ended. BREACH OF PROBATION. ! A young man named Frederick K*-x ■ Granville was charged that, being a per- , son on probation, he failed to adhere I to the terms of probation. j Chief-Detective McMahon stated that some months ago the defendant was convicted for appropriating a sum of m«nev, and, being a hist offender, was placed upon probation, one of the terms of which was that he had to report regulable the probation officer. He failed to do J so, and went to Wanganui, and. although j he was earning £3 5s per -week, he had I done nothing towards paying off a sum of | £8 as restitution of the money he had | appropriated. He had stated that ho had repaid £15 to a friend who had j helped him. and also that he had written j to the probation officer, the Rev. F. P. I Jeffreys. Mr. Jeffreys stated that defendant -'had I not played the game." Every considers I lion had been shown him, and he seemed to require •'straightening up." Mr. Frazer said he would convict- defendant of the breach, and add a farther 12 months to the term of his probation. He would also be required to supply the probation officer with a detailed account of his liabilities, to pay all moneys to the probation officer, and to refund the £8 at the rate of £2 per montn. The magistrate also impressed upon the defendant the strict necessity of reporting himself regularly, and warned him that a further breach would mean instant cancellation of the probation. MISCELLANEOUS. For being drunk Daniel Hegerty was fined 10s; two female first offenders were convicted, prohibited, and discharged : three males were fined 5s and ordered to pay 2s 6d cab hire, and another was con victed and ordered to pay 5s medical expenses. For leaving his motor-car standing longer than was necessary in Queen Street U. T. Shepherd was fined 10s and costs 7s.