FICTION IN LAW

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22936, 14 January 1938, Page 8

FICTION IN LAW

CAE CONVERSIONS NEED FOR ABOLITION YOUTHS BEFORE MAGISTRATE [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday "These boys are not children, ihey cannot go round (wantonly damaging things. They persisted in their stupidity by raiding places, and when they come before the Court 1 ain asked to treat them as poor innocent children and deal leniently with them." These comments were made by Mr. E. C. Levvey, S.M., in admonishing two youths, Jack Radcliffe, a labourer, eged 20, and Robert Greenaway, a plumbers' apprentice, aged I}', who pleaded guilty to two charges of converting motor-cars and to several chafes of theft Provision of Law "For some time past . number of these young men have been relying on an extraordinary provision of the law which establishes that the conversion ot a motor-car is not theft, and have been playing fast and loose in motor-cars," continued Mr. Levvey. "1 can only administer the law as it stands. It is quite time that that fiction in the law should be abolished, and that the theft of cars should be put in the samn category iis the theft of anv other article." The accused were jointly charged with the conversion of two motor-cars, the first valued at £"520, the property of Charles Walter Cooper, and the second valued at £3OO, belonging to Ivan Edward Walker. Both were also charged with minor thefts. Four Years Probation

The magistrate said he had considered the probation officer's reports, and he thought that there was perhaps a chance that accused would reform when placed under proper supervision They would be admitted to probation under strict conditions, and would hav«» to repay the damage, as well as meet a heavy fine. On one of the conversion charges the accused were convicted and fined £2O each, in default three months' imprisonment. For the theft of a handbag they were admitted to probation for four years, a special condition being that they are prohibited from driving motor-cars, and must obtain the consent of the probation officer before being allowed out kt night.