A JUVENILE FIRE RAISER.

Evening Star, Issue 3807, 7 May 1875, Page 2

A JUVENILE FIRE RAISER.

Invwoargill R.M. Court on April 3U, \V uham Brunton, who gave his age as fifteen 7«a«. was charged before Mr Turnbull with maliciously setting fire to a gorse hedge on the previous day. The ‘ Times ’ reports that after evidence was taken, Inspector Fox pointed out to the Bench that the crime of setting fire to property had been alarmingly common of late years, and it was almost impossible to obtain evidence sufficient to lead to a conviction in such cases. It was only by the merest chance that tht boy Bruntou hftd been detected in the present case. He must have known - the danger of Jus act, fag gorse was a most inflammable material, and there were wooden bouses within ten yards of the fence. Considering all the circumstances, he thought the I’M* ‘deserved the grayest reflection, and should, he thought, go to a jury, for the boy washover fifteen years of age. He hoped the Court would consider the boy’s age, and the nature of the crime; and he made these remarks because he felt that, in the interests of the public, the ease should be dealt with ini a most sepoua maimer. The boy’s father, who is a nightman, spoke for the defence, and averred that his ion was in bed at the time when it was stated the fire had 'been lighted. His Worship was of opinion that a good sound whipping to tho boy would perhaps meet the. case better than anythingelse, but the Court oould not order that, and imprisonment would scarcely meet the case. After considering the matter for a day, his Worship ordered the boy to be sent to the naval training school at Auckland.**