WILFUL DAMAGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21052, 2 June 1938, Page 6

WILFUL DAMAGE

IMPRISONMENT IMPOSED By Telegraph —Press Association WELLINGTON, June 1. “Probation in this case is out of the question,” said Mr J. H. Luxford. S.M.. from the Bench to-day. “The fact remains that adolescent crime is serious in New Zealand at the present time, particularly as regards motorvehicles, and the damaging of motorvehicles.” The accused were James Joseph Furlong, aged 22, a storeman and packer, and Lyall Reginald Thornton, aged 21, a driver, and the charges weie wilfully damaging five motor-cars to the extent of £67, and a fence to the extent of £7, and wilfully breaking nine panes of glass in the windows of the Dominion Museum. Furlong was further charged with wilfully breaking a pane of glass in the Harbour Board notice-board, and Thornton with wilfully damaged two tiles, thfe property of the Harbour Board. “It is unfortunate,” said Mr Luxford, “that both came from good families, but I am not going to take that into consideration.” Four months were imposed on one charge of wilfully damaging a motorvehicle. Furlong was placed on probation on another charge, and both were convicted and discharged on the remaining charges. The story showed that they got a bottle of whisky and were going about drinking it. After first being at a skating rink, and a dance, they went Up to the Dominion Museum and threw stones at the windows. Afterwards they amused themselves by releasing the brakes on cars up Brougham Street and allowing them to run down the slope, to stop where they would.

A visit to the Harbour Board's sheds followed. Counsel said the men had had beer before the whisky, and one could only assume that they were crazy with drink.