HOLD-UP OF PAYROLL CAR

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 29, 29 October 1942, Page 6

HOLD-UP OF PAYROLL CAR

Children’s Court Hearing BOYS COMMITTED TO CARE OF STATE IBy Telegraph.—l’resH Association.) AUCKLAND, October 28. This was really an armed hold-up, said Detective-Sergeant Trethewey when two boys were jointly charged in the Children’s Court before Mr. Luxford, S.M., with having assaulted Robert John Quested wit it intend t_o rob hint, at Otahuhu, on October 15, amt with tlie theft of a pair of number plates on the previous day. DetectiveSergeant Trethewey said the Police Department was of the opinion that it was a case to go before the Supreme Court. Mr. Matthews and Mr. Sneddon appeared for the boys, wlio pleaded guilty. . .., > 'rhe two accused, aged 104 years anti 1G years and 10 months, had formed the idea of holding up. the Otahuhu railway workshops payroll ear, sttid Detective-Sergeant Trethewey. One of the boys, a railway employee, bought a .22 repeating rille and 101) rounds of ammunition the day before the offence. The rille was bought and registered in the normal way. On the morning of October 15 the boy borrowed his father’s motor-car, on which were placed the stolen licence plates, and with his accomplice, a cabinetmaker’s apprentice, drove in front of the payroll car, which stopped in Favona Road, where the boys had ordered it to stop. One of the boys got out of their car, took a part from the payroll car to dismantle it, and attempted to steal £lO,OOO contained in the payroll car, while the other boy held the rifle, sttid Detective-Sergeant Trethewey. The rifle was found to contain 11 rounds. One of the boys had used force and had struck a man in the car with a spanner. When the boy with the rifle saw they were not succeeding, he called his friend back and they drove away. The boys had been disguised, botli wearing sun glasses and scarves over their faces.

Both boys were equally guilty, said Mr. Matthews. The boy with the rifle had not covered the payroll ear with the rifle, and lie had not demonstrated it in a menacing way. The rifle had been lying through the open windshield of the ear and he had one hand ou it. The boys, who had excellent records at school, and whose parents were of immaculate decency, were, after all, only children, and he asked for them to be dealt with by the Children’s Court, which was more concerned with bringing them out as decent citizens than with the question of punishment. He doubted if Borstal would do them good, as they were already industrious boys with trades.

It was gratifying that their first such act should have been so completely bowled out, said Mr. Matthews. The boys had been completely unable to explain why they did it. They had a small cabinetmaking workshop where they turned out fine salable goods in their spare time and they may have got a get-rich-quick idea to set up their small factory.

Mr. Sneddon supported Mr. Matthews’ remarks, and said that the boy for whom he appeared had stated that they certainly had no intention of using the gun. A request that the boys be dealt with in the Children’s Court was made by Mr. A. E. Wishart, Boys’ Welfare Officer. They were decent lads who had made a grave blunder. He had seen the products of their workshop, and they were men In craftsmanship. One boy’s mother was a widow. Some kind of madness must have come over them. The magistrate: Would it not he more badness?

Mr. Wishart asked for the leniency of the Court so that they could come back to decent citizenship. He realized he was asking something big. Evidence was given as to the boys' characters, their work and home life by their parents, an employer and a stationmaster. The car had been borrowed with parental consent. Neither of the boys had given any previous trouble to his parents. "It is more a case for the Child Welfare Department than the Prisons Department,” said the magistrate, who committed the boys to the care of the State. They would be under the care of the Superintendent of the Child Welfare Department. In due course thev would come back to their people on licence. He ordered confiscation of the rifle. ,