CONVERSION OF CARS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23356, 26 May 1939, Page 16

CONVERSION OF CARS

SEVEN CHARGES ADMITTED YOUTH GIVEN PROBATION How a youth was filled £lO for nillawful car conversion at Tc Aroha and tho same day took another car in Hamilton to drive to Auckland, after which he made use of six other cars over a short period, was told in the Police Court yesterday. Tho accused, Richard Charles Simpson, labourer, aged IS (Mr. T. Henry), pleaded guilty to seven charges of unlawfully converting cars valued at a total of £1275, between April 27 and May 19. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said that, except for the car taken in Hamilton, accused was in the habit of converting unlocked vehicles and driving about tho city and suburbs before abandoning them undamaged in the Newton district. Accused had been employed on farms in tho To Aroha district, where his previous offence occurred, and apparently did not realise whero ho was heading. He obviously required supervision. Counsel submitted that accused was tho type of youth who would respond to supervision. He said he was a good worker and would probably find another job on a farm. His lapse was unaccountable, because he was good to his parents, and it could probably be traced to his learning to drive a motorvehicle for a position, from which he was dismissed after a few days. Tho probation officer, Mr. J. Anderson, recommended that accused be given a chance "It is a very serious matter, but* accused apparently did not commit his offences with any sense of bravado," said the magistrate, Mr. C. R. Orr Walker. "Some young men have snapped their fingers at the law and 1 have had no hesitation in sending them to Borstal. It will not do lor accused to come up again, because there could be only one thing for him — reformative detention." Accused was placed on probation for two years.