BOY DRAWS A KNIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1921, Page 11

BOY DRAWS A KNIFE.

STABS THRICE AT MAN. RESULT OF FIT OF ANGER. A hot-headed boy of 12 years found himself before Mr. 11. Y. Widdowson, S.M., in the Juvenile Court, Dunedin, on a charge of assaulting a man on October 27. Sub-Inspector Willis described it as rather a serious matter in a small way. Apparently beside himself with anger, the boy drew a pocket knife in an endeavor to -free himself, and stabbed three times at a man who was six feet in height and proportionately built. The first attempt cut the man’s coat and vest, the second scratched the back of his hand, and the third came near to cutting off the little finger of his right hand. An ugly cut was shown to the magistrate. According to the man, he was called out at 8 o’clock that night, and found the accused boy and one of his own sons fig!) ting. He went between them, and told the boy to go home, but the latter responded by inviting the big man to “put up his dooks,” drew a pocket knife, and announced his intention to stick him. Replying further to the magistrate, the man said he got the boy by the hair and the shoulder, and used only ordinary force. He was not in a .temper, but the boy was very excited; in fact, he was a regular little lion. There was no bad feeling between the families so far as he was aware.

The boy. who apparently realised it was a serious matter, and fought. his tears, told the magistrate that he drew the knife to free himself, and that the man had his wrist in a terrible grip, and scratched him and punched his ear. His face, he declared, was “in an Awful mess.” These things the man denied. The police then produced a witness, a smart boy of 11 years, who recounted the whole affair. The recused boy . attacked the man’s son (aged eight). A smaller brother went for the father, who separated them, and said to the boy. "Go home, you little puppy,” and pushed him up the road. The boy replied with, “Put up your dooks, I’m not afraid of you.” Apparently he returned to the attack a second time, so the father caught him by the fringe of his hair and tried to secure him from the back, but caught his ear instead. The lad also told the magistrate that the accused boy only fought when the others gave “cheek,” and that Charlie (the man’s son) usually started it. The magistrate said the boy ought not to be allowed a knife, and impressed on him that whatever others did he must never use a knife. “You quite understand the seriousness of the matter?” he asked. The Boy: Yes, sir. The Magistrate: And you won’t do it again ? The Boy: No, sir. The magistrate said he would impress it on the boy to some extent. The case would be adjourned for three months. If he behaved nothing more would be heard of it.