YOUNG THIEVES SOLD CIGARETTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18938, 7 December 1929, Page 9

YOUNG THIEVES SOLD CIGARETTES.

COMMITTED TO CARE OF WELFARE OFFICER. Two boys, aged fifteen and seven teen, pleaded guilty at the Children’s Court this morning to the theft of £73 worth of cigarettes from the warehouse of T. H. Green and Co. last Saturday night. Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., with him Mr W. M. West, J.P., was on the Bench. Chief-Detective Carroll said that the cigarettes had been traced to the ac cused boys. They had sold them to a receiver, an adult. They received £lB from the receiver, the first instal ment of the payment. Of that money, £3 had been paid by one boy as an instalment on a suft. The rest had been recovered. About £2B worth of cigarettes had been recovered from the receiver. The elder lad had been before the Court twice previously, on charges of using obscene language and mischief. The younger had a previous conviction for theft against him. “ The boys have been quite frank about the whole affair,” said the ChiefDetective. “ There can be no question of where the responsibility lies between two young boys and a grown man as the receiver is.” Mr Russell, who appeared for the elder boy, said that the boys knew before the theft where they could dispose of the stolen cigarettes. The cigarettes were in the hands of the receiver an hour after *they were stolen. The elder boy had no previous record of dishonesty, though he had been before the Court on other matters. The mother had a large family, and the boy had been helping her to the extent of £1 a week cut of his wages. The Magistrate: He has been under supervision for two years, and during that time his conduct has been quite satisfactory. “I trust that your Worship will take that into consideration,” said Mr Russell. “ The mother has to work herself, so she has not much time to look after the boy. She wants him to be as near her as possible. He has an uncle in a good position vho has guaranteed to look after him, and find him a position. I think that he came under the influence of the receiver. Your Worship knows that were there no receivers there w'ald be few thieves” ** There would be 50 per cent fewer . thieves, at any rate,” said the Magis- . trate. The younger boy’s mother, who appeared, said that she would like her L son to be under the care of the Child • Welfare Officer. Mr Bissett said that the boy had ■ used some of the proceeds of the thett ■ to get a new suit, but the one he had : on in Court was an excellent suit, and • it did not appear that he needed ani other. “ He’s probably just influenced by these flash ideas that he has to look a bit better than other boys,” said the Magistrate. “ The reports I have about him indicate that he is a pood worker.” Both boys were committed to the care of the Child Welfare Officer.