JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18026, 27 February 1922, Page 4

JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

RAIDS ON AN ORCHARD. WARNING BY MAGISTRATE. Fifteen boys appeared at the Juvenila Court on Saturday morning. Eleven of ; I them were charged with' raiding an [ orchard at Stanley Bay, a charge tq |j which all confessed. The owner of the orchard had com* i § plained to the Devonport police that lis property was being made the subject,of. g too much attention after nightfall, and as a result the 11 offenders, whose ages ranged from 10 to 15 years, were taken before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M. On be- -J half of the boys counsel and. several ■ parents urged that the raids 'on the '! orchard were carried out in an alveri> j turous spirit, as most of the boys had ! access to orchards where they ootffl get all the green- fruit they deutred. Ha owner of the orchard asked that j» «o- ■ B viction be recorded, as he felt. sure, fiat j the fact of being caught and b«right 4o 1 Court would act as a warning » tit» | boys. . ~._ .', v- iii The magistrate severely reprimanded $ the culprits, and explained fto seriop- || consequences a conviction for theft mm || have on their after life. He would not. 1 however, enter a conviction, bnt .warned ■ them that this was their last chance. « j j a record of their wrongdoing would b» !g kept, and any future appearance before a Court would result in punishment. j > The remaining four boys pleaded gu3ty i to entering a summer cottage at Si Heliers Bay and removing a number cf | articles. t . ' || Chief-Detective McUveney explained! i that the house had been broken into I! and goods to the value of £10 rfoleiL f bnt it was not that tie forced | entry had been made by the boys, who had simply followed the original burglars and taken the few things that, ap-". pealed to them. These young offenders were also discharged with a warning, that ; i j in the event of any further lapse thoy , would be placed under the control' of ; the probation officer.