ABSCONDERS FROM BURNHAM

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7140, 30 May 1910, Page 1

ABSCONDERS FROM BURNHAM

TWO BAD BOYS CONVICTED OF BURGLARY AT BLENHEIM. BAD START IN LIFE. Two youths, Albert William Foote, alias Jennings, alias. Leighton, and Henry Gordon, were before his Honor the Chief Justice on Saturday for sentence for offences committed at Blenheim. Foote had pleaded guilty to two charges of breaking and entering and theft, and one charge of theft. Gordon had admitted two charges of breaking and entering and theft- Both lads were absconders from Burnham Industrial School. After reading a written statement handed up by Foote, his Honor, addressing this prisoner, said that he had no rigiit to abscond from the school. According to the statement, the prisoner thought that if ho had been left alone after hia escape from _ the school ho would have been ali right. But whon ho was away \from the school on a former occasion he had done no good. Ho bad been sent to service, but his employer had to send him back, because the prisoner had been making untrue statements about him and stealing his money, Tho day after ho reentered the school ho absconded, and was returned by the police two years aferwards, having gone to Gisborne in the meantime. Once more he absconded and was convicted of theft at Kaiapoi. He then broke away from the police cells, and was shortly afterwards convicted at Auckland and sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment. Ho was again returned to school and once more absconded. The prisoner; If I had been treated fairly at the school it would liav© been all right. When 1 got out I was getting along right enough, but they wouldn't let me alone. His Honor: But when a youth is convicted he cannot dictate what is to be done wuth him or where he is to go. If you were sent to the school you should have stopped there. You were convicted on five charges of breaking and entering while you were still a boy. I.could declare you an habitual criminal, and then you might never get out of gaol. In answer to a question, Foote said ho had friends in Marlborough. who would give him employment and Look after him. Ho w'as nulling to go and stay with them. His Honor therefore postponed passing sentence until Saturday nest, in order that inquiries might be made as to the truth of. the prisoner’s statement. The prisoner Gordon had nothing to say why sentence should not be passed upon him. His Honor said that in this case the prisoner’s father had died while he was a young child, and his mother had been of weak character. Hi© brother had also been in trouble,, go that it seemed that tho prisoner's failing was hereditary. His Honor was sorry to see that in this case the manager od' Burnham said that for the first time in liis experience he was at a lose to know,what to do with one of his boys. He asked the prisoner whether he preferred to go back to Burnham or to be sent to the reformatory prison at Invercargill, where young men were taken in hand and taught a useful trade.

Tlie prisoner preferred to go to Invercargill, His Honor therefore sentenced him tc nine months" imprisonment in the Invercargill gaol.