HIS LAST CHANCE.

Waikato Times, Volume 99, Issue 16654, 20 November 1925, Page 6

HIS LAST CHANCE.

YOUTH’S THIRD OFFENCE.

THEFT FROM BILLIARD SALOON. A well-grown youth of 18 years, Albert George Larsen, already twice convicted of dishonesty, pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court, Hamilton, to-day, before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., to stealing 15s from Malcolm Mclntyre, billiard-room proprietor. Detective Culloty, who prosecuted, said that accused entered the billiardroom during the proprietors’ temporary absence and helped himself to 15s out of the cupboard in which the money was kept. The youth planted the money in the lavatory, but when taxed with the theft revealed its hiding place. Mclntyre had reported the loss of £4 to the police during the week and strong suspicion rested upon accused, who had been hanging around for several days. Mr. W. J. King, who appeared for accused, mentioned that the lad came from respectable Auckland parents. Iloweyer, he would not stay at homo and tjtt question was what could best be d“e in the boy’s own interests. Counsel pointed out that the door of the cupboard in which the money was kept had fiecn left open and that accused xvas really the victim of a sudden temptation.

Accused’s mother, who was called to give evidence, stated that the lad had had a fall when he was young, and doubtless this had somewhat affected him. She had done her best for him, he had received a secondary school education and. wanted for practically nothing. His Worship had a heart to heart talk to the boy's mother, after which he told the accused that he had been tempted to send him to the Borstal Institute, but that he did not want to do so providing accused pulled himself together. His home ties, the magistrate considered, should have a beneficial influence.

Accused was admitted to probation for two years, special conditions being that during that, time lie should remain in steady employment, keep out of billiard-rooms and hotels.