PRISON AND PROBATION

NZ Truth, Issue 915, 9 June 1923, Page 6

PRISON AND PROBATION

Burglars And Bad' Uns A DANGEROUS CRIMINAL.

"He is regarded by the .police as a dangerous criminal and a menace to society," was the observation of the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. P. S. El Macassey) m the Wellington Supreme Court this week when John Nolan, who has been known" by many different names m his time, came up for sentence on two charges of breaking and entering, three charges of theft from a dwelling, and one of common theft. Some of the offences were committed m Masterton, a couple of them m Wellington, and one was m reference to the burglary of Sir Francis Bell's house at Lowry Bay, when jewellery and money were stoleni; "The man is single, 39 years of age, and has had several previous convictions,' 1 continued Mr. Macassey, adding that m 1913 he was sentenced to three years' reformative detention m Auckland for theft (28 charges). In 1921 he got two months for assault, and was subsequently convicted and discharged m Gore for a breach of tho peace, while m Dunediri last year he was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for breaking, entering, and theft (four charges). The prisoner was sent to a prison farm m the North Island, fromAvhich he escaped not long ago, and committed the present offences. Sir Frederick Chapman observed that the prisoner was of mature age, and an habitual criminal by inclination. Sentence of five years' hard labor was then passed, and prisoner was declared an habitual criminal. BAND OF ROBBERS A band of five house-breakers, young men all of them, came- before the Court for sentence also. The members were Hector Kenneth Claude Hodges, 20 years of age, four charges breaking and entering; Donald Campbell, 20, five charges; James William Thomas Green, 18, six .charges; George Lester Rolfe, 19, five charges of breaking and entering and one <xf attempted breaking and entering; and William Daniel Douglas, 19, three -charges. After hearing the histories of the prisoners and their exploits as a gang I—some1 — some of them had pretty bad records — his Honor said: "I only wish I could do something for jt>u young fellows m the way of setting you free, but your conduct has been such as to render that impossible. .... You have had your opportunities. You have e.ach m turn had your chances to reform. ... It seems that you have undertaken these criminal adventures for the mere love of the thing. I don't iwant to be harsh, but I have to •do what is best m the interests of the community and yourselves. There is always a hope you will reform and become men instead of larrikins and hoodlums." Rolfe, said his Honor, had had his chance, and had deliberately thrown it away. Three years' reformative detention would be his portion. Hodges and Campbell were placed under pro-, bation for three years and ordered ro contribute something towards the cost pf the prosecution. One year's reformative detention <was handed out to Green, and three years of the same medicine to Doug-las. "That is all I can do," said his Honor, "and if I have given you a chance to become good citizens I will think I have done somthing useful."

LIFTED A BIG SWAG J T-wo more young fellows appeared on the scene after this m the persons of Frederick Leo Williams and Thomas Henry Murray, who were the operators I m a big haul obtained after 'burglariously entering the premises or J. R. McKenzie m Cuba' Street. Of £200 worth of goods stolen all had been recovered with the exception of about £2 worth. • These two, so Mr. Macassey said, j arrived m Auckland as stowaways | from Australia, and were sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment each. After their release they were hauled up m Te Kuiti for vagrancy and failure to pay railway fares, and <were fined a sum which they paid off after getting a job m the township. They then came on to Wellington and committed the big robbery. "You seem," said his Honor, "to have treated New Zealand as a convenient country for a criminal raid. All I can "do is to put you m the way of reforming if It is m you £b"'- reform. I don't propose to treat you as ordinary gaol birds." Three years' reformative detention was ordered m each case. .THOSE WILD WERAROANS The next ocoupants of the dock were two lads who had escaped from the Weraroa Training Farm and burglared several premises m the Feildlng district Victor Kirner, 17 years of age, was a stolid youth who stood with expressionless face m the dock, but the other, Andrew Cole, 16 years, came up smiling, and didn't know which way to look when he' saw tho crowd m the Court. His flaring red top and mobile face caught the Judge's not unkind eye. After hearing that the lad had no parents and had been m the charge of the State for eight years his Honor asked him if he would promise to be good if he got his freedom. The youngster looked confusedly at the bewigged assembly, and then at a nudge from the burly warder piped up "Yes, your Honor." His Honor: What can you do? "I'm a pastrycook, sir," says Ginger. (Laughter). I The other lad said he too would be good, so his Honor ordered that the boys finish their terms at Weraroa, | and then be allowed out on probation for three years.