YOUNG LAWBREAKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18742, 23 June 1924, Page 9

YOUNG LAWBREAKERS.

NOT DUE TO DEPRAVITY. >} HOME DISCIPLINE NEEDED. VIEWS OF A MAGISTRATE.

; The : view that law-breaking by young people is due to juvenile depravity wait described as nonsense by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.j when ! dealing with six schoolboys at the Juvenile Offender's Court on Sat*.?:;" urday. Two of the boys, admitted stealing 6s and 2s 6d respectively, the property oi some persons unknown, and the other* pleaded guilty to having each received 10d» knowing the money to have been dishonestly obtained. ■•.■:•:-' Sergeant Rowel 1 stated that the boys. ■ ;v who resided at Stanley Bay, went to th* • Remuera hockey grounds on June 3 M take pari in a match, and, afterwards tw< ■ of the lads- while in the dressing-room, . ? stole the money from the clothes of other: players. They bribed their companion! into secrecy by giving tenpence to each one. ; : .' : '". ; : ' ' '

Mr. Hunt t You had better have a man stationed at the hockey grounds, ser geant, to put a stop to" this thieving. Mr. J. Alexander, who represented two of the lads, said all had been severely thrashed by their parents. As further punishment, each had had his , pocketmoney stopped, and one boy was being sent to a boarding school. ; • Mr. Hunt: The trouble is that they get too much pocket-money.! : As long a! the parents will deal with the boys, thai is all right. I will -not convict t!ht>:m. All they want is that the giing> be broken up. ■ :'■; ;/ '■ i ,-.; ■. . • "All this talk about juvenile, depravity is nonsense," continued the magistrate. '■Their actions are due only to bravado, and they are irresponsible when they gel together. If the slipper were used morl in the home we would not have every body shrieking out about V juvenile depravity. Why, 'in my young days th* village constable dealt with' such offi>nde'rs summarilyV and there was no men ■ heard "about the matter." ;*■"■ '•'■* :;---' Sergeant Roweil: Yes, Your : Worship) but in these days, if such a thing was don< the constable would be charged with as :sault. " ';;■'■' " Mr. Hunt: I think Stanley Bay could ;;' do with a truant officer.•■'''.'•.'.■ l'} r 'o)'.. : f ''.'Now, .look here," said the; magistrateaddressing the offenders, most of whon \ were 'weeping bitterly, "If I give you i '•- chance this time will you promise to bo have ?" :>-S '' : '■: There was a chorus of "Yes, sir," and the boys were accordingly discharged.

STIMULUS OF THE BISCH. PICTURE SHOWS FORBIDDEN. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COnRESPONDUJrW WA2JGANUI. Sunday. Two small boys appeared.,'iii \i. the, Juve- / nile;..-Court: oh a charge of stealing ' sil pennyworth of fish chocolate from a shop, Hie magistrate, Mr: Barton, said/ he ■ fel ■; strongly .-; inclined to order a /really gooi thrashing. If ■ there was co "magic'' it the birch ;; ik v sometimes /; setva train d, / thought running :that; helped boys /to ; im- . , prove. He accepted a. promise from tin / boys that, ii given a chance, they wouli ■ do better, and they were ordered to conn: ; up for sentence within 12 (months i called .upon,/ and;: also' ordered 'h to : ref rail'.-.. ; from ;' attending picture : shows;- for ; si:; , months.