Youth Committed To Borstol For Thefts At Ratana

Wanganui Chronicle, 20 July 1950, Page 2

Youth Committed To Borstol For Thefts At Ratana

Pleading guilty to six charges of theft at Ratana, an 18-year-old youth, Rua Holder, oi Ratana, was; committed to Borstal for a period; not exceeding 12 months by Mr. A. I Coleman, S.M., at a sitting of the Marton Court yesterday morning. Accused was represented by Mr. K. A. Williams (Marton). Four of the six charges related to the theft of money and it was stated by the prosecution that the accused entered various houses at night and took the money while the occupants were asleep. It was further stated that accused was earning an average of 12 a day as a labourer. Accused was charged with stealing on various dates between May 25 and June 6, £l2 and £7 5s from; Otaota Dalton, £l2 from Teaotan-; gata Wirihana and Ils 6d from Hua Tunga. He was further charged with stealing a woollen pullover valued at £2, the property of Daphne Ann Jefferies, and a pair of hair clippers and a comb, a total value of 14s, the property of the New Zealand Government (Education Department) . Sergeant W. J. Brown, who prosecuted for the Police Department, said that accused on two occasions went to the home of Dalton about midnight and while complainant was asleep took money from his trousers. He also visited Wirihana s home and committed a similar theft. On June 18, accused stole Ils bd from off the dressing table at the home of Tunga, all these offences taking place about midnight. One June 20 accused went to the bach of Jefferies and during her absence about 5 p.m. and 10.30 p.m. took a pullover. At about 11 a.m. on June 16, Holder went to the Ratana School and stole a pair of hair clippers and a hair comb. The accused, said Sergeant Brown, was not unknown to the police, lie had appeared In' the Children’s Cour on theft charges, the circumstances being practically the same, when he went and helped himself to money. On that occasion accused was placed under the Child Welfare Department. The accused had been keeping company which was not of the best, said Mr. Williams, and accused ha been noticed to have acquired drinking habits. He asked the court to grant probation on strict terma Holder could make restitution of th money within two weeks. Expressing doubt about probation, the magistrate pointed out that a little over two years ago the accused had appeared on four charges of theft and now it was six, extending over a period of about a month. “It seems to me that this young fellow would benefit from some discipline, systematic training in a useful occupation and a break from his former associates," said the magistrate in committing accused to bor. stal.