BOYS ADMIT PILFERING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17337, 8 December 1919, Page 10

BOYS ADMIT PILFERING.

WHIPPING IN THE FUTURE. ; SLOT TELEPHONES AND METERS.' ! Evidence of the pilfering of pennies from slot telephones and gas meters was given | in the Juvenile Offenders' Court on Satur- 1 j day, when four boys admitted, having : stolen twopence from a slot telephone, and one admitted having taken 21s from the gas meter in his own home and from those in three neighbouring houses. j With regard to the first charge, SubInspector Wohlmaan stated that tne practice of robbing street telephones was becoming exceedingly prevalent among the boys of the city. •' Yes," commented the magistrate, "and 1 I am very seriously considering whether in these cases I should not order the offenders to be whipped. Some children seem >o have such strange notions of behaviour that I think it is time they should be brought up against the law and be treated as children used to be, and g'ven a jolly , good whipping. I think I shall order that ' punishment in the future. Really such offences as these should be dealt with by the boys' parents, and should not have to , be brought to Court at all." Mr. Wilson, on questioning the parents, found that none hiid given his child more than " a good talking to." " It is no good talking," ■ rejoined the magistrate; " get at them with the strap." In this case, however, the boys were discharged with a and .the probation officer was instructed to watch their behaviour for six months. The other child said he had . extracted 21s from the gas meters and spent it in piptures and soft drink®. An official of the Gas Company stated that during the l?rt six months the company had over £20 ' nillaged from its meters, ten of which had "Been broken into. ; The magistrate treated this boy as be did the others, but ordered the parents to make good the damage done.