EPIDEMIC OF WINDOWBREAKING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 241, 5 July 1919, Page 3

EPIDEMIC OF WINDOWBREAKING

YOUTHS.CHARGED WITH STONETHROWING.

Complaints have been received by tho police from numbers of people reelecting damage done to windows. /I'ho areas aftected are those governed by the Taranaki Street and Newtown police. Some of the reports complain of damage to plate-glass windows, and the missiles used in some cases were bricks. Yesterday, at the Magistrate's Court, before Mr. P. V. Prazer, S.M., five youths, named John Edward Belsham, John Fletcher, William Hickling, Norman M'leod, and Bert M'Kay, appeared to answer a charge of stone-throwing in Donald M'lean Street. Belsham pleaded guilty, and the other defendants pleaded not guilty. Police evidence was to the effect that complaints had been leccived regarding stone-throwing and window-breaking. The defendants wero seen to throw a stone on &> the roof of a houso in Donald M'Leau Street, and wero followed round until arrested. They wero yelling and making considerable' noise in tlio streot Bolsham said that ho throw tho f-tone, and that tho others had nothing to do with tho occurrence. His Worship addressed the accused at some length, and warned them that their conduct would have to improve, elso the would find themselves in serious trouble. Belsham would bo convicted and fined .£3. with costs !!>«. The :i formations against the other defendants would be dismissed.