MISCHIEVOUS BOYS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 307, 16 September 1918, Page 4

MISCHIEVOUS BOYS

DEALT WITH BY THE MAGIS- . . TRATE. Several boys appeared before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court on Saturday, charged with various offences. A boy of twelve was accused of Laving stolen from the'home'of Constable Cox, at Johnsonville, a silver watch and gold chain valued at £14, also a white surplice and a Japanese dressing jacket, of the value of 12s: 6d. ; _ It appeared that on account of this lad's parents being in indigent circunistancos he had been sent from Napier to the Weraroa Training Farm in September, 1915. On January 16, 1918, he was transferred to the Wellington Receiving Horiie, and wbb afterwards licensed out to work at Constable Cos's place;' It was while in the latter's cmploy that he stole the articles. ' His Worship adjourned the caso for four weeks to enable the boy to have an opportunity of passing an examination. Five other boys, whoso ages ranged from 13 to 15, thre9 of whom were first before the Court on the previous Saturday, wero charged with stealing from a "bach" at Lyall Bay a quantity of goods, including golfing material, of a total value of £4175. 9d., the property of William Spencer. Four of the boys were admitted to probation for twelvo months, and a fifth, a Maori boy,' was ordered to be sent to a Native school. Three other boys, two of whom were aged thirteen and one fourteen, were charged with the theft of seven dozen boot laces, valued at 10s., the property of Jean Hayvice. Each of the accused were ordered to report to the Probation Officer at certain intervals for a period .of twelve months. Four lads, three of whom were twelve years old and one thirteen, were asserted' to have damaged a bicycle to the extent of £1 lis. 6d., the property of Linol Cocker." Two of them .were also charged with stealing a bicycle tool-bag, valued at 65., belonging to. Roy Wheeler. It appeared that threo of the boys interfered with somo bicycles at Island Bay, and forcibly tore apart two whiolv had been locked together as a means of preventing anybody making away with them. One of the boys stated that he was merely looking 'on, and the information against him was dismissed, as his companions agreed that his statement was correct. The cases of tho.other three boys were adjourned for twelve months, during which time they were ordered to carry out the instructions of tho Probation Officer. They were also ordered to make good the-damage done.