MAGISTERIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5028, 8 June 1889, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

TlMAßU—Saturday, Jonh 8, 1889. (Before C. A. Wray, Esq , R. M. ÜBHNKENNES3. Two first offenders, who had been in the lock-up nearly 21 hours, were let off with a caution. JUVENILE HOUSEBBBAKEH3. James Auld, aged 10, and William Auld, aged, 11, of Sandie Town, both of whom had been before the court previously for some mischievousness, were charged with breaking into the house of Thomas Clark, blacksmith, Latter street, on the morning of the G'.h, and stealing therefrom 15s in silver money, a gold ring, gold pin, gold mounted greenstone pendant, a pipe and pocket-knife, the property being of the value of about £3 16j. The lads hud nothing to say for themselves. The father desired that they be dealt with summarily, lie stated in reply to 11 is Worship that the boys’ mother was dead; ho, being at work all day, could nob look after tho boys as they ought to bo looked after. A daughter of thirteen kept house. The younger lad was all right whoa by himself; the elder was uncontrollable, always in some mischief, and he led his brother away. _ lie wished ills Worship would send tho bigger one to an industrial school for a couple of years, and then he believed ho could manage the little one. His Worship: ETare you punished them? I don’t know. They ought to be" dead from the punishments they have had from mo. I have thrashed them and coaxed them. Both boys are sent to school, but tho bigger boy ’plays truant and takes tho other vitli to. tlb htoti away fyqtu haflio

several days at a time. He slept at home on I Sunday night, and then was away Monday, Tuosday.and Wednesday, I don’t know where. On Thursday he; kept the younger one away from school by taking his hat, and I caught him that day. Tho prosecutor, T. Clark stated that he was a bachelor living by himself in Latter street. | On going to work on Thursday morning ho locked up tho house securely. On returning at the dinner hour ho found some one had got in by opening a back window. He missed at once 15s in silver he had left on tho bedroom table. When he got home in the evening from work he made a further search and found that drawers had been Jansacked, and from them be missed tho other articles named in the information. He knew the father (of the boys, but did not know tho boys. He did not desire to see them severely dealt with. Richard Hughes, a lad of 15 or thereabouts, , stated that the elder accused showed him the stolen articles near Shappere’s, and told him ho had picked them up near the Ship. Witness exchanged a shangai for tho pipe, ring and pendant, and took these homo. His mother afterwards gave them up to the police. The eldest boy had all the things.

M. Saleb, pawnbroker, staled the eldest boy offered him for sale the gold pin, saying his mo! her, “ Mrs Wilson, of Sandietown,” sent him to ask how much witness wouldjgivo for it. Took the pin from the boy, and told him to send his mother for it. Ko one came, and he gave the pin to Detective Neil. Detective Kiel gave evidence as to the arrest of the boys. The youngest said that he got 6s out of the money. The father said he knew nothing whatever about the business. Be again asked that the elder boy bo sent to an industrial school, and the younger one let off; the younger one would behave himself if the other was away. He would be willing to pay a fair charge for the boy’s keep. His Worship said the charge was 8s per week. Auld seemed surprised at this. It was rather much. Ho could pay 7s 6J, and ho thought that was a fair charge, lie could keep (he boy for that anyhow. iiis Worship decided to giro the younger boy a chance, and discharged him, and ordered the elder to be sent to Burnham until he is 15, the father to pay 7s 6d a week for liis maintenance. MOEE JUVENILES IN TEOUBLB. A little boy of nine and a girl of elevens children of a widow living on West Belt) were charged with stealing a shilling’s-worth of firewood from the yard of Jas. Durkin, firewood dealer. Daniel Durkin, son of the prosecutor, staled ho was led to watch the yard last night, between 8 and 8 30 p m. and lie saw the two children go on to the next section and by putting tboir hands between the pickets of the fence, lift pieces of wood over the top, and put them in a bag ho had previously seen the boy carrying empty under his arm. When ho showed himself the girl ran away. He caught the boy, who told him their mother had sent them out to get some peat, but they were afraid to go and went to get some wood instead. The mother was present, and declared this was a story invented in the boy’s fear. They were not sent to get peat. She could buy nil the fuel she needed. They were out to play fora while in the evening, and they told her they got a bit of wood to kick about the path a bit and then meant to put it buck. Aa a rule the children were not allowed to go about the streets. His Worship : It is not likely they would go for firewood unless they were sent. The mother: They have never brought a piece of wood home to mo. They had no idea of stealing ; they have no cause for it. Ihey have never been sent out to get peat. The boy has not been a very good boy for the past year, but he will bo better in future. His Worship : A great deal depends upon you, you know. If you send them out to scour the streets for peat, it is very likely to lead to this sort of thing. Be careful in future that they do not take things that do not belong to them, and do not send them out to collect fuel at night. His Worship gave the children a short sharp lecture too, and then dismissed them.