JOY RIDING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17352, 17 May 1924, Page 2

JOY RIDING.

YOUTHS’ ESCAPADES. PROBATION GRANTED. Four youths appeared before Mr H. YL Widdowson, 8.M., this morning in answer to chargee of having unlawfully converted motor-cars to their own use. Two of them aged 17 years and 16 years and 1 month respectively, were dealt with in the Police Court and the other two. bofh under 16 joars. ir the Juvenile t.« urt. The first charge v.as in respect to a car owned by Cyril Norman M’Pherson. and was heard last week, when the lads were remanded for sentence. This offence took place on April 12. Regarding the second charge SeniorSergeant- be win said the boys had taken the car belonging to Reginald James Mitchell from St Albans on the night, of April 6 and bad driven it as far as Hare wood Road, where they abandoned it when the petrol ran out. The carburetter was damaged and other fittings, including the switch key were missing. The owner had left two gallons of petrol in the car anti had to procure another gallon to bring th© car back to town. The estimated damage, including the cost of petrol, was two guineas.

Mr Twyneham said that the elder boy, Howard James Anderson, had given every assistance by owning up to the charges. Mr Tracy said that the boy for whom he appeared had taken part in th© first escapade, but had then fully realised what lie had done and had refused to join in with the second joy riding party. H© was a boy of promise and was established in a good position. His mother had already given him three sound thrashing^. The Magistrate: I am very«pleased to hear that. The Magistrate said there was a suspicion that Anderson was developing more or less into a larrikin and should be checked at this stage of his career. He would be convicted and placed on probation for two years, and ordered to pay the sums of 10s 6d and 3s 4d, being hiis share of the damage to th© cars in each case. An application by Mr Twyneham for the suppression of accused’s name was unsuccessful, the Mag-strate remarking that as it had already been published it would be no good making an order. With regard to th© other lad he was practically a juvenile, being just one month over 16 years of age. He would be convicted and ordered to com© up for sentence within two years. He was also ordered to pay i.os 6d, liis share of th© damage. On the application of Mr Tracy an order for th© suppression of the name in this case was made. Tli© two younger lads were dealt with in th© Juvenile Court. Mr Malley appeared for one of them. Senior-Sergeant Lewin said that both boys had been thrashed by the probation officer and no doubt the lesson would do them good. The Magistrate said he would adjourn the cases for twelve months, the boys to be under the supervision of the probation officer for that period. Their fathers were ordered to pay 10s 6d and 3s 4d damages in each case.