FATHER AND SON.

NZ Truth, Issue 181, 5 December 1908, Page 5

FATHER AND SON.

CHRISTCHURCH COURT SCENE

Branding a Boy a Criminal.

The Waywardness o! Freddy Collins.

A pathetic drama was enaotoi. m lbs Cbristchurch Magistrate's Court seoNitly, wlien a boy of lourteen, named Jb'redwriok William Collins, was charged with stoal- < ing the sum of 2is ixoui tvs tetUoc, 4 storekeeper at Tenipleton. The case was heard m the Juvenile Court, and Magistrate Bishop expressed surprise that . a parent should come into Court to bran* bis own boy as a ielon. "1 wouldn't put a criminal taint on one ol my chuaraa for life,"- said his Worship. Collins, a dark-visaged person of forbidding aspect, but to all appearances ignoraatity honest and sincere, explained to his Worship that Vhe boy was wayward, and he thought that if he btougnt him before the Magistrate his VV or snip would give him a good talking to and induce him to be better conducted m future. Mr Bishop remarked that if Collins thought he couldn't control his child the father 1 should bring him before the Court and prove that he was uncontrollable, when his Worship would commit him. to the Levin institution, under the industrial Schools Act. Howeyer, ■ his Worship advised Collins to taKe his* boyback home, give him a thrashing if he liked, but his Worship disliked the idea that the boy . : ' SHOULD BE BRANDED AS A CRIMINAL by his own father. Of course, his Worship would proceed with the case if the lather, desired to prosecute. Collins explained that he had given his son 7s per week ; further, he had advanced the youngster^ £5 for a % suit, which the boy was paying off m instalments. Lawyer Donnelly was employed at the last moment by a friend of the boy to appear for that unfortunate youth,' and after consultation with his juvenile client informed the Bench that if the uoy had to go home he /wouldn't stay there. > His Worship : Weil, m that case I'd better send him to Levin. The father said he wanted to apprentice his son to, a baker,: but the boy wouldn't go. ' His Worship remarked' that the youngster could learn the baking at Levin. Collins said he didn't want to see the lad sent to an industrial school. Unfortunately the youth didn't like to "be apr prenticcd, and it would mean that he would have to stay m one place. The youngster, still persisted m his statement that he didn't wish to live with his father. Mr Bishop called ithe boy up to him and spoke to him m a fatherly way. "What is the troubfte between you and your father ?" his Worship asked. "I can't agree with him," replied the boy. "You are only a boy— a little kid," remarked his Worship. "What right haw you to say that you • caniyot agree with your father ?" , The boy was silent, but his under lip trembled with -suppressed emotion.' ' "What do you want to do?" asked the Magistrate, kindly. "I want to go out and work 'on my own," replied the kid. Are you fond of your mother •?-*• Yesshe's my step-mother. % ; Why don't you live with 'yovi father 7 —I don't like being growled at." : /. His Worship >,_Why, they growl at m* ; and I'm a much more Important persou than you are. I don't mind. . His Worship (addressing the father) : Do you nag at him ? You know there is a difference between • reproving and Bugging at him. THE FATHER DfiINLED THK NAttGING. His Worship : I wuuid advise you to go with your father and remain quietly . at home for a couple of, weeks untiJ he finds, you a su'ilfcibte situation. The father" said that; the 'boy worked right enough, but as soon as pa's, back was turned he neglected, his work and .started smoking. ■ The boy's step-mo Uu*c had told him about it. - His Worship (to the boy) : Do you • smoke ?— Yes, sir. Humph ! How woutd you like to go to an industrial school ?— My father wouldn't be there. Would you. like to goto an Industrial school ?— No. • . Would you rather go to an industrial school than live with your father ?— Yes. • His Worship : '♦Wow we are up against bed rock.". He thought that Levin would be the best place for the boy as he would learn a trade there. Tiie father explained that the boy had been brought up by his "Granny" until he was twelve and had been given all his own way. His Worship : He says he doesn't likt you. Collins : J make him do a3 he is told. His Worship: Yes, but there is away to do that. - ■ ■ .. The Templeton . .- -constable was called ;and stated that the b.oy, to his knbw•ledge, had absolutely refused to live with > his father. "I -would drown myselfTather than live -with him," said the voiiu?ister. . • -.-•- --' His Worship : . recognised that the boy •was a most determined youth. He coulu .see it by his chin, and he remarked that he had .no power to compel him t« live with, his father. He was inclined t» €«nd the boy to Levin. THERE WASN'T THE BRAN» tJF "BURNHAIT' about that institution. "What A* y»u think, Mr. Donnelly ?" asked his Wotakip. Mr Donnelly: I think, under. ih« »irQUrristanees, that Levin would be the best place for him. " ; His Worship : «I agree with r«u. ' < '. Collins said he was a baker by* tjjade, but kept a ■ store at Templetoo which they had partly sold out, that being the reason 'why he wanted to apprentice the youngster to the bakery, as he had shown a natural aptitude for that tsade; Uollins said that his wife was very iJJ,, ajid !be was going t« . expand the proceeds from the sale of the stoic man attempt $o patch her up at Rotorua. 1 His Wprsh-ip decided to consign the boy to the Levin Industrial School, and after, inquiring into the father's limited means ordered him to pay at the rate «f 6s per |week towards his, son's sjuppaxt until the youth reached th». age of 21 yeans. • The father remarked- that aa ordw like .that would be a fearful drain •* his resources. • " "■ : His Worship explained that if the b«r conducted himsalf properly, the a.utk«rities might license him out t« torn* employer, when the moneys earned would be banked for the kid until h* attain** the age of 21 years. Collins wasn't enamored ©f this scheme but had perforce to submit, and the boy was consigned to Levin accordingly. ■ In this paper's opinion young Ooilins is a highly, sensitive boy who might have been saved 'had he been placed m some ' kind family that would encourage the best that was m him. He is' not like AN INCORRIGIBLE YOUTHFUL CRIMINAL who requires restraint, but is a lad, who chafes at any infringement upon his liberty. Of course, restraint should be eraployed if that liberty is used m a vicious manner, but, bar smoking, there appears to be no vice about the youngster, it is predicted, herewith, that the boy will run away from the school within a month ; that h« will be . ,brought back and flogged ; that foe will' run away -again, and that he will either develop into an incorrigible crimrnal oi a cowardly sneak of a law-breaker, who will oSend stealthily because he is m fear of the punisbmerit thai; will be meted out to him. Unfortunately op distinctions are made m these reformatories, and the high-spir-ited lad, fit for better things, is shovelled into the rubbish-cart with the ordinary scum of the gutter and becomes soum . nimseif m the process of time. New Zea- ' land's industrial schools are the' pmost prolific- crime incubator* that tiwt« at* iA. ih* world* .......... .^ •