A MAORI BOY'S ESCAPADE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3013, 26 February 1917, Page 6

A MAORI BOY'S ESCAPADE

A Maori lad named David Paul Mitchell, who pleaded guilty at the Magistrate's Court, Carterton, to setting fire to the Hikurangi College, Olareville, came up for sentence in the Supreme Court on Saturday before Mr. Justice Chapman. Mr. Putnam, who appeared for the prisoner, entered a strong plea for leniency. He said the offence was just the result of a boy's love for excitement. When the building was on firs Mitchell ran and told the other boys, and so confessed that he started the fire. An influential Maori in Greytown had interested himßelf in the case, and would look after the boy if he were admitted to probation. Mr. Meredith; for the Crown, stated that the Probation Officer reported that nothing was known, against the boy, and the principal of the Hikurangi College where Mitchell had been, a student, spoke well of him.

His Honour severely cautioned the lad and admitted him to probation for two years, upon the condition that he committed no offence against the law, and kept in all respects his good behaviour; further, that he returned to the college until regularly discharged, and thereafter to remain with Iraia to Whaiti, of Wairarapa, farmer, undertaking, in the meantime, not to absent himself without the written permission of the Probation Officer.