MAN AND YOUTHS APPEAR IN COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18188, 22 June 1927, Page 1

MAN AND YOUTHS APPEAR IN COURT.

CAUSED DAMAGE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSES. A married man and several lads appeared before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., today, on charges of having committed mischief on various dates at the Northcote Settlement. Each offender was fined. • Robert Bell was charged with having wilfully damaged ten panes of glass, valued at 15s, the property of 'he New Zealand Government, thereby committing mischief. The charge against Claude Pateman concerned eight panes of glass, valued at 12s. That aga inst Edgar Rossi ter concerned six panes, valued at Ss. Joseph Thompson, a married man, was charged with having damaged a shed and gate, valued at £2 18s. Albert Wroot was charged with damaging six panes of glass, valued at 9s. He was represented by Mr Hunter. All pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Martin explained that in the Government settlement there were some empty houses. Some of these had been damaged at various times. All the defendants lived in the vicinity. When the defendants were asked if they had anything to say, Rossiter said: “ A lot who have done more damage than us have gone out of the settlement.” The Magistrate: That does not excuse you. Referring to Wroot’s case, Mr Hunter said that the charge had to do with the “ unfortunate Northcote settlement, where many houses are low and unlettable.” Wroot was quite a decent boy who had been led into mischief by others, and counsel thought that if he were ordered to come up for sentence when called up nothing more would be heard of him. His father was dead and his mother was in poor circumstances. He earned 30s a week and paid £1 to his mother. Senior-Sergeant Martin said that Thompson was a married man. He had a good war record and was knocked about. He was addicted to drink. The Magistrate: You ought to know better. Will you take out a prohibition order? Defendant: Not necessary, sir. The Magistrate: I will have to take that into consideration. The defendants -were dealt with as follows: Bell, fined £1 and costs and ordered to make good 15s damage; Pateman, fined £1 and costs and ordered to pay 12s; Edgar Rossiter, fined £1 and costs and ordered to pay 12s; Edgar Rossiter, fined £1 and costs and ordered to pay 8s; Joseph Thompson, fined £1 and costs and ordered to pay £2 18s damages. Wroot was fined 10s and costs and ordered to pay 9s damages, the Magistrate taking into consideration the fact that he helped his mother. He was allowed to pay at the rate of 10s a month and Thompson was given two months in which to pay.