JUVENILE COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 16, 14 October 1918, Page 8

JUVENILE COURT

Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., presided over a sitting of the Juvenile Court held on Saturday morning, when a lad i 5 years of age was charged with having stolen £2 15s. in stamps and money from the Kaiapoi Woollen Company, by. whom ho was employed.. The.lad admitted the tbeft,-aud said that he T took the money to help pay the household hills as his father, who had been seriously wounded at Gnllipoli, was in bad health and could not retain a position,, The Magistrate, remarked that the theft was not as mean as:the majority of boyish thefts, but he pointed out that in any case two wrongs did not make a right. Eventually the case was adjourned for a year, during which time the boy is to remain under the supervision of the probation officer. The sum of £1 14sSid. had been recovered, and an order was made thai the balance 1 should be paid back to the company on terms to be approved by the probation, officer. For failing to send children to school regularly F/dward Barrett was fined 10s., and 7s. costs, on each <>i two charges. The truancy officer stated that the case was a bad one. as ono of the children had been ' deliberately kept away from school to take partin a theatrical performance. There was a very real objection to children being employed a) : night, for such emnlovmpnt could "not but'affect children's health nnd seriously interfere nith their school life.