JUVENILE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19476, 11 May 1925, Page 5

JUVENILE COURT.

Saturday, May 9. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) Damaging a Haystack.—Three boys, two aged 14 and the other aged 12 years, were charged with damaging, to the extent of ss. a haystack at Caversham, owned by Malcolm Stevenson. —The boys pleaded not guilty.—Malcolm Stevenson said there were a number of stocks belonging to him. The stacks had been damaged many times, necessitating a number of men being employed pulling down and rebuilding them He asked that this case bo made a warning. The boys, who admitted having been on the stacks,’ were admonished and discharged. A Dangerous Practice.—Throe boys, each 10 years of age, pleaded gaiilty to moving a railway wagon at Burnsidh. —Chief-detoc-tivo Lewis said that the three boys charged wore apparently the loaders of a gang. The boys had started the truck down an inclined siding with the object of having a ride, but they had been alarmed at the speed it attained and had jumped off. The truck collided with a buffer and was partially derailed. Chief-detective Lewis submitted a plan, showing that if any points had been open the truck would have missed the dead-end and gone out on to the main lino, and a serious collision with on express n ight have occurred. It had cost 6s 4d to get the truck, which had not been damaged, back to the line—The Juvenile Probation Officer (Mr Lock) said the home conditions and the schoolmasters’ reports were quite satisfactory—The Magistrate, who admonished and discharged the offenders, warned the parents that the boys must be kept away from the railway lines in future. Ho ordered each parent to pay 2s Id to defray the expense incurred by the Railway Department . A Penchant for Business.—Eight boys and one girl, whose ages ranged from nine to 14 years, were charged with stealing 4001bs of lead, valued at £5, the property of Francis Bernard Francis. —The children pleaded guilty with the exception of the youngest boy.—Chief-detective Lewis said that a number of houses had been pulled down, and the children had gone there and taken the lead. In most cases the money which they had received from the sale of the lead had boon spent on lollies and electric torches. One boy had received 31s as his share of the proceeds, but that sum had remained intact as the father had taken charge of it. Four of the children appeared to b© the ringleaders, and they had also damaged the floor and walls by breaking and entering where the tools had been left. Several second-hand dealers and business people, who should have known better, had given the children money for the load. Sf me of the lead had boon recovered. —Constable Watt also gave evidence, and said that the youngest boy did not se>m to have had any part in the theft of the lead, but he was in company with the others. —The Magistrate said that the charge against the youngest boy would bo dismissed. —The Juvenile Probation Officer said that the children's home influences were all good.—The Magistrate, in admonishing and discharging the offenders, said the owners oF the lead liad the right to follow up the case, but the purchasers would lose both the lead and the purchase price. He order the 31-s to bo handed over to the police.