CIGARETTE HABIT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13531, 28 February 1908, Page 5

CIGARETTE HABIT.

BOY IN TROUBLE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 27. At. the Police Court this afternoon a boy of 15 years, who 12 months ago, entered on his working career as ti messenger, pleaded guilty to misappropriating small sums amounting to £l7 3s lOd. The* money was filched in various ways—stealing stamps, retaining money given him for sending telegrams, collecting small accounts and so .on. The lads father who expressed his willingness to make restitution of all dt'ficiences, explained that t-lie boy had contracted the cigarette smoking habit, otherwise lie had always been aa apparently good lad. He attributed the dishonestly in a large measure to an effort to obtain the wherewithal to purchase- these cigarettes.. The Bench warned the lad of the. danger, moral and physical, to boys who contracted the cigarette smoking habit; and took him severely to task for yielding to dishonest temptation in order to indulge in the pernicious habit. In order that lie should not start life with his reputation damaged by conviction for dishonesty, the Bench decided to giva him another chance, calling upon the father to refund the deficiences wit-It Court- costs.