MAIL VAN THEFTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19513, 16 February 1926, Page 10

MAIL VAN THEFTS

BOYS IN TROUBLE. The boys who were responsible for the recent mail van thefts appeared at the Juvenile Court at Dunedin on Saturday, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew. S.M., though only the elder boy, aged 11 years, was charged. A charge was not brought against the other because, as the Magistrate said ho was such a little shaver. The elder boy was charged with stealing postal packets containing a Winchester rifle, a rifle barrel 141 b of cheese, a golf club, 12 dozen money bags, and sundry articles, the property of the Postmaster-General, and valued at £l5 12s Gd. The Chief-detective said that on January 17 some mail vans were loaded and left on f he railway premises for despatch to Christchurch the following day. They were not locked, but sealed with lead seals. This boy apparently invited another to come along and they opened the van and took the contents and scattered them about generally. The other boy w r as only eight years old, and he looked much younger. He was not charged. His Worship: Yes it would be farcial to bring a charge against him. The Chief-detective said that the property that was still missing was valued at £6 Is lOd. The boy required some supervision for he was running about on Sundays and on this occasion he had taken other boys with him. It might be that the other small boy also required supervision. Asked by the Magistrate if he were satisfied that except for his small partner the boy had played a lone hand, u the Chief-detective said that the police believed the elder boy was the instigator. Th Juvenile Probation Officer (Mr Lock) said that it was evident that the lad was the prime mover. The boys had discovered that there was fruit in one of the vans, and no doubt it was the fruit they were after. The head master’s report was satisfactory, though the home life of both boys was poor. The elder boy should certainly be under supervision. The elder boy’s father said that he had never known his son to do anything dishonest before. He had never had any difficulty with him previously. “This is very serious trouble you have got into,” said Mr Batholomew, addressing the boy. “You could be punished quite severely, but you are only a little chap, ami you will have to be placed under supervision for the next 12 months.” His Worship warned the boy of the consequences of another offence. He added that he would not make an order for restitution against the father, who was in an unfortunate position physically and financially. The Magistrate also asked for the smaller boy, who was brought forward by his father. “He’s such a little shaver that he wasn’t brought up,” said his Worship, “but the juvenile probation officer will keep an eye on him for 12 months.”