JUVENILE COURT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19049, 30 June 1924, Page 2

JUVENILE COURT

NUMBER OF YOUTHS DEALT WITH. LAPSES DUE TO LACK OF CONTROL, A number of small bovs were arrainged before Mr. Barton S.M., at the Juvenile Court on Saturday morning, to answer for various offences. A pica of guilty was entered by one lad, who was before the Court only a week ago, when he was charged with the theft of three bundles of sacks valued at 30s, from Williams and Harper’s, a rubber doll, valued at 8s 6d, and Doulton ware, valued at ss, the property of I. Duncan. Detective Gourlay told the Magistrate that last Monday the accused went to Williams and Harper’s, removed the sacks and sold them. The other offences took place prior to his last appearance. The detective said it was difficult to know what to do with the lad, if hc went from the Court, and deliberately commenced to steal again. His Worship remarked that there was only one course to adopt. The boy required better control and teaching than he had had in the past. If he was allowed to go, there could only be one possible ending. He had committed six thefts in three months. The detective suggested that the boy wanted a good thrashing. The Magistrate said that he was thinking deeper than that—to commit the lad to some State institution for a time, where he would be properly trained. Mr. Barton then questioned the mother in respect to her child.

Father Mahoney suggested that the accused be put away for a time to get him away from companions. His Worship then committed the accused to the receiving home. A lad aged twelve years was next charged with stealing various sums of money from different shops. Mr. C. P. Brown entered a plea of guilty on behalf of the accused, and said that the parents of the boy were dead. The money stolen was spent on comic books?., lollies, fruit, an electric torch, and a fountain pen. The accused, he explained, was now under proper control, and the money had been refunded.

The boy’s guardian pointed out that prior to school the boy was working on a milk round, and this, with his* school work, covered thirteen hours per day. He received 12s per week as wages. He had lately been taken off tho round.

The Magistrate remarked that all that could be expected of a boy of twelve was his proper attention to his school. Constable O’Brien stated that the accused was a sneak thief, and if caught behind shop counters would pretend that he had lost money there. His Worship said that there appeared to be streaks of good and streaks of bad in the lad. He pitied the boy left without a mother of father, and put to work for thirteen hours. Ho then promised the boy that he would take him to the Y.M.C.A.. where he would be taken in hand. He also gave the boy some sound advice in regard to the breaking of bad habits. A lad from Castlecliff was charged with' making use of the Harbour Board’s row boats, and with not being under proper control; and also with being associated in the theft of coloured pencils valued at 2s 6d, from the Castelcliff school. Constable Sheehan explained that a ■number of thefts had been committed at the school during the week-ends. The associate lad ivas ordered to receive six strokes of the birch. “There are some good hefty constables at the station, who can lay it on,” observed Mr. Barton.

In referring to the other lad not under proper supervision, the con-« stable staled that he frequently played truant, and was always about the wharf at Castlecliff, when intcr-col-onial boats were there. One of the Harbour Board officials had described the boy as a pest, and on two occasions he had had narow escapes from injury. In relating actions that did not reflect any credit on the accused, the constable said that on one accasion the lad had stolen 30s from a sailor’s pocket. Constable Wainhouse added that the father of the lad took no interest in his family. Mr. Barton said that he had no faith in the father’s ability to train the boy, and the accused would be committed to the care of the State, at the Wanganui receiving home in the meantime. Two other lads whose mother admitted they were not under proper control were committed to the Industrial School. It was stated that although their father administered thrashings, they took no notice of him.