RUNNING WILD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16115, 2 May 1923, Page 3

RUNNING WILD.

NINE-YEAR-OLD BOY IN COURT.

DOES NOT KNOW A B C. AUCKLAND, last night

A ease presenting some pathetic features came before* Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Juvenile Court where a lad' aged 9), pears pleaded; guilty to a charge of breaking, entering, and theft, and two other charges. “How far can you count?” queried the Magistrate of the diminutive delinquent. '

fe“Up to thirty.” “Can you say your A B C?

“No.”

The Probation Officer observed that the boy had been a consistent truant. In all he had) received: only nine months/ schooling. Lie had! a very bad’ character, and) xvas mentally deficient. For a Icing time past lie had: given n. lot of trouble, and’ exercised a bad influence on other little boys by encouraging them to play truant and get up to mischief, lie was quite out of control, and l hi.-* parents could do nothing with him. The- lad's step father, a laboring man, agreed that the* lad! was beyond' control. By thisi time' (he* bov was weeping copious tears.

The Magistrate observed 1 that the* lad might burn places down and do all sorts of things. He* would! have to go to a receiving home. It would be cruel to put him away in an asylum.