WRECKED TOMBSTONES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16456, 18 June 1921, Page 9

WRECKED TOMBSTONES.

ACCUSED BOYS IN COURT. “NOT UNDER CONTROL.” MAGISTRATE RECOMMENDS WHIPPING. \ Twa boys, aged respectively 14 .years and 8 years, were charged at the Magistrate's Court to-day, before Air Wvvern W ilson, S.M., that on June t) they l wilfully damaged tombstones in the Barba does Street cemetery to the extent of £l5O. Mr F. W. Johnston, who appeared for the parents, said that the charges were admitted. The mother of the younger boy had; had a good deal of trouble with her husband, whom she had recently divorced. The elder boy and his parents boarded with her. Jim elder boy was not really a. bad boy at heart. * He was of an adventurous turn of mind, full of animal spirits. While at Christ’s College ho showed a dislike for study and eventually ran away. Apart from that, the headmaster gave him a good character. It was unfortunate that the damage don© to the tombstones was so great. Some of tho tombstones were very old, and would probably have fallen over before long, in the course of nature. Othei*s would be expensive to replace. Tho older boy’s father was a small importer. It would; be quite impossible for him to pay tho full amount, though he would be prepared to contribute £1 n, week towards the damage. The mother of the younger boy was even! worse off. She had seven children. It was proposed to send the younger boy and bis smaller brother to a religious home on Monday. Arrangements wore being made to send the older bey to a training ship. Tho Magistrate said that the father of tli© elder boy would have to pay £SO at the rate of £1 a week. The younger boy did not appear to have done much damage, and bis mother was in poor circumstances. The elder boy was not bacl. Being an only child, be suffered from indulgence. He required, discipline, nnd he must be sent to a homo until ho could go to a training ship. It was clear that he had been out of control. The father of the elder boy said that ho had thrashed bis son with a switch from a tree. It was a “ real good hiding.” The Magistrate: T shall not order a whipping as the hoy has been punished by bis father, but I always think that whipping by the police is far better than punishment by the father, whom the boy knows. T think that the more anticipation of whipping by the police has a wholesome effect on the lad. It is the mental effect that one has to consider. However, as tho boy has bad n hiding, T shall not order him to be whipped. He will be convicted and I shall postpone sentence for a month on condition that he remains in a probation homo while waiting to go on a training ship. T will adjourn the case against the younger' boy on condition that he goes to St Joseph’s Homo at Middleton.”