JUVENILE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19205, 23 June 1924, Page 11

JUVENILE COURT.

Saturday, June 21. (Before Mr J. It. Bartholomew, S.M.)

‘A Good Actor A boy, aged 13 years, was charged with intent to defraud, in that he did obtain the sum of 2s 6d from John Swann by "iving a false name, and stating that ho wanted the money to buy fruit for his sick mother; further that he did obtain the sum of 2s ’Gd from Charles Sonntag by falsely representing that ho had lost his money and wanted to get home to Port Chal-mers.—-The lad pleaded guilty in both cases. Ghief-detective Lewis stated that the boy had been making a practice of going pound to different people with some tale of woe. On no fewer than nine occasions the lad had accosted people., and he had succeeded in getting money at least eight times. He was a good actor. —The Magistrate; This is the boy who had a mania for running away witn horses and cycles.—Mr J. Lock (junior probation officer) said he could add nothing to what had been said, except that the money the boy had secured had gone in the hire of horses!—ln reply to the magistrate, the boy’s mother said he .was not difficult to manage. He was a good boy at homo and she pleaded that he should not bo sent away.—The Magistrate eaid the boy was just at the ago when he needed strict control, and he would bo committed to the Boys' Probation Homo.

Opening Postal Packets. —A well built boy, aged 16 years, was charged with stealing a postal packet from the General Post Office, the property of tho Postmaster-General; further that he did open a postal packet addressed to Messrs Bing, Harris, and Co. — Mr J. S. Sinclair appeared for the accused, who pleaded guilty to both charges.—Chiefdetective Lewis said the boy was in tho employ of Bing, Harris, and Co. at the time of tho offences, and it had boon his duly to collect the 'etteia from the post office box. He had started to open letters in tho search for money, and had opened over 30 since May last. He had not taken any money, and the cheques had always been put hack. —Mr Lock said the boy was quite a decent lad up til! the time of his lapse.—Mr Sinclair said the boy’s parents were respectable people, and the boy was a good son and had previously home an excellent character. It was difficult to account for his lapse, and ho thought it a piece of boyish foolishness. Tho bnv had lost his position, but if the magiatinVa would give him a chance lie could go to a position in the country. —The father of the boy eaid he never had trouble with his son, who always did what he was told. — The Magistrate said it was a matter of grave responsibility, and the charges were very serious ones. The boy had been systematic in the work, and had gone about it very deliberately. Ho was at an age when proper control was necessary. He would he commilled to tho We.reroa Training Farm.