JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18578, 10 December 1923, Page 11

JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

SCHOOL AND CHURCH THEFTS LAD ORDERED TO BE BIRCHED. Two brothers, one aged 14, and the other nine, appeared before Mr. J. W. Poyntou, S.M., in the Juvenile, Offenders Court on Saturday to answer a number of charges of theft. The police stated that books and money had been stolen from the Mount Eden South' School, while a collection box at St. Barnabas' Church had been broken open. The small hoy had admitted some of the thefts) saying that his brother was with him at the time. In the Court the little boy said his, elder brother- had taken the larger share in the transactions. Mr. Poynton admonished and discharged! the younger offender, and ordered the elder to receive 12 strokes of the birch. He remarked that the boy had made a bad start, and evidently needed a severe lesson. Two small boys were charged with having broken four panes of glass. It was stated that on their way home from school they met another boy, and, for some unknown reason, gave him 10 seconds to get inside his gate. He had done so, and then retaliated by pulling faces at them. They replied by throwing stones through a window of the house. The boys were admonished and discharged.' A 15-year-old boy was committed to the Auckland Probation Home for the theft' of an "Eversharp" pencil, a cheque, a pair of shoes, and 116 penny ; stamps. It was stated that he had left his home in Hamilton, and come to live in the city. He was described as a bad character generally. .