LOW WAGE PAID BOY WAS INVITATION TO STEAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17865, 5 June 1926, Page 8

LOW WAGE PAID BOY WAS INVITATION TO STEAL

LAD SENT TO CHILDREN’S COURT TO BE DEALT WITH. "This boy is paid 10s a week, a very poor wage/’ said the Probation Officer, (Mr Frank Rule) in reporting upon the case of a boy 17 }’ears who was charged with theft, in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. “When I put boys to work I expect their employers to pay from £ l to £1 5s a week and keep. The low wage paid to this boy is really an invitation to supplement his ‘screw/ ” The boy appeared on remand from last week, when Mr Rule was asked to furnish a report. The Magistrate (Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S. M.) said that under the circumstances of the report he would refer the case to the Children’s Court. It would then not be necessary to enter a conviction, and as far as the present Court was concerned the boy would bo admitted to probation. “You are just entering manhood, you have still a clean sheet, and you must make good,” said Mr Widdowson to the boy when he appeared in the Children’s Court. Fie was placed under the care of the superintendent of the Child Welfare branch of the Education Department for twelve months.