JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 956, 16 May 1889, Page 9

JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

, Four.littje boys named Martin Smlt> : n§ yearß ' old), Austin Lucas (12 yearq ott s ,, Alfred 'William' Townsend (12 years old), tod Frederick 'Villiam Townsehd (13 years 'old) were charged at the City Police Court on the 7th, before Messrs W. L. Simpson and Wm. Scoular, J.P'e., with stealing, on the 6th inst., sundry brass fittings off a portable engine, the property of Joseph Sparrow. The four boyß pleaded guilty to the offence. . In reply to Mr Simpson, Sergeant-major Bevln said the facts of the case were that M,r Sparrow had a portable engine lying near his shop, a,rid the previous day all the brasses were' bnoefce^ o? ifc and taken to ' Mrs Smith's marine atpre. where they were 'I sold for 6d. The boys, state* to. Mrs Smith that they found the things l,n a dust heap. Mr Sparrow, gave, evidence as to seeing the boy* ' about hla shop late in the afternoon, and as to having seen th.c boy Smith before, when he used, to come about the place selling the paper known as Land and , Sea, but he cleared him out. The brasses,' if new, ; would coefc£S or 49. The Bench asked for information regarding the parents of the children, and Sergeant-major Bevin said that Mrs Townsend, who had separated from her husband, had, wlfcH her > children, re6ently come to" Dunedin from . Timaru.' > The parents of the boy. I<ucas lived at South Dunedin. The father, was a seafaring man. The boy wai in the habii o$ tefeeptag out of a night, and the other younger members of the family appeared fcb' have been somewhat "hegleoted,i one of, the girls being now, ia gaolapd another hi the.; • Female Refuge. The^j^enis of. the boy Smith lived. , in.'Duriedm, and tfo& ino'the? was present, as we're' also the mother ©fi $fte To^mquds, and an elder brother ofL'ucas. " , ( 'Tb^e Bench thought there was sonVething very far in the up-bringing of the boys. The papers ' hack'shawn lately that' this' class of offence was far too prevalept, and.it would have to be put a step to. ■In .this case it could not be said that our educational system was chargeable with the depraved state of the boys, as they were not attending aoy of the public' schools. " ti ■•-.',- ."".. • > . The mother of, Smith intf mated; that her son was very*deaf, and that they would not take him, in at the schools. „ Mr Simmon, said; he thpught this made Mrs Smithy sesponsibility the greater to bring the boy up properly, 'a duty>hioh she had' apparently oeglected. .After the justices, had conferred together, Mr Simpson said that his brother magistrate, remarked' there was greater fault' to be found with, the parents than with the children. This was nofracase of what might be considered ttiisohjef or frolio, but stealing for the purpose, of. concerting into money, and he was afraid, that these cases were far too prevalent. These boys were not attending any public school, ana therefore there was greater blame on the parents' for not looking closer after them. The boy Smith was beyond the age for the bench to be able to inflict corporal punishment, and they were placed in av.ery - awksfflwJ.pqßifcion...., .„...„ Mr Sparrow said he would be willing to give , work to" the younger, Townsend, of whom he had formed a > j.vetvgood^WQn'.pa account of ,the,opfa w«yhe ■ had told'everytnitig he knew of the matter; and his, evident repentance /or what he ' had done. ■ He did. ■noJ.wisb.the.boyß to,be.puQiflhedrtrot thought they .should recej^a .caution. ■, r ,,i- (( tJl y. ,. <-& '. 'i.i !' i. ' J MrSimpson^id Mr ' Sparrow/ na^ , shown a very, prop'er'spiritHn the matter iliat'-taid they oould not

make any distinction between the boyi further than that prescribed by law. Addressing Mrs Smith, the "Buyer of fche/ferassefl'te^en,- Mr; Simpson tafd: Mrs 'Smith', 'l' cannot' understand you' not making' in- \ quiries about _! the article! before purchasing. You [ cannot look at' 'the' things without seeing in a moment that -they have- been broken off. A great deal of responsibility- tyea with the people who purchase in these crises/arid if it lay in our power "we would, do aqmething with fchoße who bought, the articled You had better be more cautious in future.' ' ' In giving judgmeritthe Bench said: Lucas will receive six strokes of the birch, rod. Smith being beyond the age at which we can inflict punishment of that nature, the only thing we can do la to send him to gaolfor seven days. ' F. W. Townsend will receivesix strokes of thebirch rod i and A. W. Townsend a similar punishment, and we trust that this: will .prevent them from doing the like again. t The mother .of one of the 'boys said her child was delicate and could not stand the beating. The Bench replied that if a, medical certificate to that effect was produced they, would alter the sentence.