GAVE FALSE FIRE ALARM; AUCKLAND YOUTHS ARE FINED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18341, 19 December 1927, Page 9

GAVE FALSE FIRE ALARM; AUCKLAND YOUTHS ARE FINED.

“OF HOODLUM TYPE,” SAYS POLICE SERGEANT. (Special to the “ Star. ’’) AUCKLAND, December 19. “They are three young fellows of the hoodlum type,” said Sergeant Flanagan at the Police Court, when William Gibson, Roy Capel and Leonard Coggan were charged with giving a false alarm to the City Fire Brigade, Gibson also came forward for sentence on a charge of using obscene language at Point Chevalier. The trio pleaded guilty to the combined charge. Sergeant Flanagan said that the three youths were in Ponsonby on Sunday, November 20, when a false alarm of fire was received. When the brigade reached the spot the superintendent saw the three accused near the firealarm and questioned them. They denied giving the alarm. During the past year seventy-six malicious false alarms had been given in the Ponsonby and Grey Lynn districts. The three youths lived at Grey Lynn. In addition to the danger involved in sending the brigade on a false errand, there was the possibility of a fire occurring when it was away. Gibson and Capel had been before the court on a previous occasion and had been admonished. The trio had given the police a lot of trouble. Gibson was the leader. Gibson: No, sir, I am not. Mr M’Kean, S.M.: I hope you are not, but I am going to make it expensive for all of you. On the charge of using obscene language Gibson was fined £2. On the other charge each of the youths was fined £5 and 16s costs, to be paid at the rate pf 10s a week. “I hope that it will deprive you of your pocket money for a while,”* added Mr M’Kean.