GOING TO THE BAD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 38

GOING TO THE BAD.

GROWING LIST OF THEFTS. CHRISTCHURCH July 39. No knowledge of his parents a a childhood spent in a home in Dunedin was the start in life of ’William John Hardie, who appeared before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., this morning. Hardie, whose age is 22, pleaded guilty to the theft of £9 5s in cash and a watch, a silver matchbox, and a number of greenstone trinkets valued at £2 15s. the property of Robert Allan Gray, at Ngapara on March 26.

Sub-inspector Matthew’ said that the accused went to a hut owned by Gray—he had been to the hut before, and had the run of it—and searched a pair of trousers, from which it was alleged he had taken a wallet containing the money. He also took the other articles. He was at present serving a term of four months in Paparua Prison for another offence. Two months of the sentence had gone.

The Magistrate: I see from his list that he got three years’ probation for forging and uttering. He is now’ serving a sentence. I don’t like to see a young man like this. 22 years of ago, going to the bad. Have tlie articles been recovered?

The Sub-Inspector: All except the money, your Worship.

In reply to the Magistrate, Hardie said that he had been imprisoned for the theft of £5.

The Magistrate: Are your father and mother alive?

Hardie: I don’t know, sir. I’ve been in a home nearly all my life in Dunedin —ever sine;*. I was five. “Well, you ’iuiow’ as w’ell as I do thai you can’t be allow’ed to prey on the public like this,” said the Magistrate. “You’ve had two chances.” Hardie: This offence was committed before the one I’m serving for, sir. The Magistrate: Doubtless had the

magistrate known that he would have increased your sentence. Hardie was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, with hard labour.

Afforestation schemes in the cities of New Zealand were referred to by the Director of Forests, Mr L. Macintosh Ellis, in the course of an address at Auckland last week. Mr Ellis said the Dunedin City Council was planting 1000 acres with trees this year, and ho understood it intended ultimately to plant 30,000 acres on tho watershed of the. Waipori hydro-elec-tric scheme. There was considerable activity in Christchurch, while in Wellington a community scheme which would involve the afforestation of 60.000 to 100,000 acres was being considered. The Auckland City Council had a very fine plantation at Cornwallis, but it was hardly in keeping with the position of Auckland as the premier city of the Dominion, especially as the Waitakores provided a splendid area for tree planting.

The danger of leaving the carcases of poisoned rabbits, especially those killed by means of strychnine, lying on tho ground, was stressed by Mr Lee (Lake County) at the conference of Otago County Council delegates on Friday. Mr Lee stated that at present careases were simply thrown away, with the result that valuable dogs, belonging io drovers and others, were frequently poisoned, entailing a very severe loss. He urged that the careases of poisoned rabbits should he buried at. least 2ft underground. The other delegates ar, the conference agreed with the view put forward by Mr Lee, ami the solicitors promised to look into (he question with a view to framing a by-law. It was also suggested that a remit dealing with it should be sent to the Counties’ Conference. -— The robin and the wren are the only birds that sing all the year.