A TROUBLESOME YOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19454, 9 October 1926, Page 14

A TROUBLESOME YOUTH.

BICYCLE THROWN INTO SEA. FROM TRAINING FARM. [BY TELEGRAPH.-r-OWN COBB ESPONTIENT. J WELLINGTON, Friday. Five charges of theft, involving the taking of a, bicycle, articles of clothing, toilet requisites and a case of apples, the total value being £l3 lis fid, were admitted by Joseph John Patterson, labourer, aged 16, in the Police, Court this morning. Patterson pleaded guilty to wilfully damaging to the extent, of 10s a window belonging to the Rough Timber Company. Chief Detective Ward said Patterson was committed to the Weraroa Training Farm in 1921 and had absconded on several occasions. His last escape took place last month and ho came to Wellington and committed the offences to which he had pleaded guilty. Most of the property had been recovered, but the. bicycle had been thrown over the Pipitea Wharf into 50ft. of water and so far had not been recovered. The Education Department did not want the youth back at Weraroa. The probation officer, Mr. T. P. Mills: "I think this is a case for tho Borstal institution. I understand tjie lad is more irresponsible than anything else and the' discipline will do him good." Mr. E. Page, S.M., sentenced Patterson to three years' reformative detention at the Borstal institution for stealing the bicycle, and ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon within three years on each of the other charges.