COURT'S SUGGESTION CRITICISED.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20494, 12 March 1932, Page 7

COURT'S SUGGESTION CRITICISED.

w YOUTHFUL OFFENDER AND THE VOLUNTEERS. i Major H. G. Livingstone, who commands the Headquarters Wing of the C.Y.C., made the following statement yesterday on the report in the Court news of the caso of two young men who appeared on charges of theft in the Magistrate's Court on Thursday. Major Livingstone's statement is as follows: — "The Magistrate is reported to have stated: 'I have come to the conclusion that the accused are entirely unscrupulous and a pair of cunning liars,' and ho then proceeded to convict both of thieving, sent one to the Borstal Institute, and admitted "the other to probation for two years, and ordered him to join tho Territorials. This judgment is the most amazing I have ever seen, and is likely to cause much concern amongst the parents of the splendid young men who now constitute tho Territorials under the voluntary system. "The training given to a soldier in honour and self-respect would no doubt bo of great advantage to such men as were dealt with yesterday, but our Police Courts must be given to understand that the military forces of New Zealand are on a voluntary basis, and convicted thieves and cunning liars will not be admitted by the order of any Magistrate. "The parents of our Territorials can be assured that the greatest care is taken by the staff and the officers in charge of units to see that undesirables of this type aro not admitted. Paragraph 314 of the Regulations of the New Zealand Military Forces especially provides for the dismissal from the Territorial Forces of Any man convicted in the Civil Court." Magistrate's Comment. When this statement was brought to the notice of tho Magistrate, Mr E. D. Mosley, he remarked that he made 110 order that the youth was to join tho Territorials, but merely suggested that he join the organisation. . He did so on the recommendation of the employers of the youth concerned, one of whom was an cx-officer of the Military Forces, and ono of whom was an officer in one of tho present volunteer units. Both had full confidence in the youth, and believed that the leisure-hour occupation and companionship' he would receive there would bo of benefit to him.