THE CHILDREN'S COURT
MAGISTBATE ÜBGES DISCRETION
The practice of bringing very small children before the court for more or J loss trivial offences was commented upon by Mr. E. C. Cutten, 8.M., in the children's court in Auckland. A boy, aged eight, was charged with' stealing a number of instruments from a school laboratory. It .was stated that when the instruments, were missed the matter was put in' the hands of tho police who discovered the boy had taken them. I Mr. Cutten said he thought far tow many cases of this type were coming before the court. The boy had taken the instruments because 'they! were bright and Jiad caught hiV childish fancy. He had no idea of their value and no intention of stealing. The magistrate added that he had given instructions that the boy should not be brought before the court. Someone should have the right to use discretion in these matters and this was a caso where it should have been employed. Mrs. N. E. Ferner, associate member of the court, said sho agreod with what Mr. Cutten had said. A number of cases came before the court in which very young children were' charged with offences. It would be a great deal better if they could be dealt with in some more simple Vay.
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Bibliographic details
Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16211, 8 December 1926, Page 14
Word Count
219THE CHILDREN'S COURT Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16211, 8 December 1926, Page 14
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