BOYS KILL SHEEP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18879, 29 November 1924, Page 10

BOYS KILL SHEEP.

DISPOSAL OF THE SKINS,

MAGISTRATE ORDERS BIRCR " A MOST SERIOUS CASE." l"BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT] CHRISTCHUECH. Friday.' Birching will give three lads of Tuiwald good cause to remember that thev may not steal sheep, kill them, and sell the skins. The lads admitted the offence in the Juvenile Court at Ashburton. today. The magistrate expressed the opinion that it was the most serious set of charges he had heard in the Juvenile Court. Two brothers, aged 15 and 14 years, and another boy, aged 14$ years, were jo'intly charged before Mr. Mosley with bavinc gtolen a number of sheep. Mr. H. q Orbell pleaded guilty on their behalf.

Senior-Sergeant D. Jackson explained that the three lads had caught the sheep killed them, and sold the skins. So far sheep to the total valu6 of £14 7s had been traced.

Mr. Orbell submitted that the boys had probably had too much latitude in their homes. The present position into which they had got themselves would be a severe lesson to them. Counsel asked that they be given an opportunity to make good by being placed under probationary control.

Evidence as to the good standing of the parents of the boys was given.

"These are the most serious charges which have come before me in the Juvenile Court," said Mr. Mosley, "and I believe they are the first of their kind in New Zealand. The fact that the parents are not hard pressed for a living aggravates the offences."

Mr. T. Cummins, probation officer, expressed the opinion that the offences were the outcome of truancy. The lads had been quite frank to him and none of them had attempted to give the others away or to transfer the blame. The boys had given no trouble whatever at school until six months ago when their attendances had beqome bad.

The magistrate said he could not over* look the gravity of the offence. Sheep had been stolen and killed and ths boys had reaped the benefit. They would have to receive the birch and he hoped it would be a lesson to them.

The magistrate then had the parents of the boys before him and they elected that the punishment should be meted out by the probation officer. The two older boys were ordered to receive six strokes and the younger lad who, it was stated, was delicate would receive two strokes. The three offenders were placed under the strictest probation for a year.