CONVERSION OF CARS

Evening Star, Issue 22457, 30 September 1936, Page 3

CONVERSION OF CARS

DRINKING AND SPEEDING INVOLVED TWO YOUTHS SENT TO GAOL MARRIED LAD COMMITTED TO BORSTAL Reckless driving, both cars being damaged, was a serious element in charges of car conversion against four youths in the Police Court this morning. In one case, two of the youths, who were under the influence of liquor, nearly forced a car off the road at Lookout Point, evaded a police constable at Green Island by swerving when travelling at a high speed, and drove the car over a bank at Mosgiel. Two of the youths were given reformative detention, another was committed to the Borstal, and the fourth was remanded in custody for a week pending reports. Leslie Towns (23), Keith M'lntyro Cameron (18), and Henry Edward Hayward (19) pleaded guilty to converting, on September 10, a Baby Austin motor car, valued at £lls, the property of Austin Motors Ltd. Towns and Leslie Jack Gould (18) pleaded guilty to the conversion, on September 12, of a Buick car, valued at £BS, the property of Robert Stewart.

Chief Detective Young said that on September 10, at about 7 p.m., a Baby Austin car was taken from Maclaggan street, and was later recovered in Duncan street. It had been driven some distance, and slight damage, amounting to 7s 6d, had been done to a mudguard and tho steering wheel. The other charge concerned a Buick touring car belonging to a Balclutha resident. It was taken from the parking area in Manse street about 6 p.m., and recovered later at Mosgiel, where it had been driven over a bank, the hood and windscreen being almost completely wrecked. The car had been seen travelling through Green Island at a fast speed. Constable Watt had attempted to stop it, but tho driver' swerved across to the wrong side of the road and evaded him. A motorist had also complained that tho car was driven at a high speed at Lookout Point, and had almost forced him off the road.

The charges had been sheeted home against the young men by Detectives Wells and Brown, said Mr Young. Towns, Cameron, and Hayward, who were implicated in the conversion of the Austin, stated that they drove it to Wakari, Cameron and Towns being the drivers. Towns was also implicated with Gould in the second conversion. and was the driver. Both admitted. that they had been drinking during tho afternoon. Towns was a single man, 23 years of age. and on relief work. He had a bad list, having eight previous convictions for offences of this nature.

Hayward was 19, and a “bit of a waster.” He was imposing on his widowed mother, and was stealing stuff from her home and selling it. He was at present awaiting sentence on a charge of house breaking. Cameron was only 18, but ho was married, and living apart from his wife. He had been previously before the court on three charges of theft and two charges of car conversion, and had been committed to the Borstal by a Wellington magistrate for breaking, enterand theft. His license would not expire till August of next year. Gould was 18, and was apprenticed to bootmaking. The detectives reported that he was doing very well at that work. He had been committed to the care of the State for not being under proper care and control. His step-mother had won a considerable sum—believed to be £12,000 —in a sweepstake, and had gone to Auckland. Gould had expressed a desire to go to the Borstal in preference to being under the supervision of the child welfare officer here.

“ The offences were of a most serious nature, particularly the second, in which it is shown that the accused drove tile car in a very reckless manner, and were apparently under the influence of drink,” said Mr Young. “It was very fortunate that somebody was not killed.”

After perusing the lists Mr Bartholomew remarked that Cameron was sent to the Borstal when he was 15. Cameron replied that his age was before the court when he was dealt with in Wellington. The Magistrate: It seems as if he were a juvenile when he was dealt with.

Air Young: I understand that he was an absconder from the Woraroa Training Farm, and that would probably bo the reason for tho committal to (lie Borstal.

The child welfare officer (Air. Locke) said Gould had been making a good response to supervision. His employer spoke well of Gould, who wanted to go to Auckland with his parents. Since the department’s report from Auckland had been received the youth had conceived the idea that if he got into trouble ho would be “putting one” across his parents.

“ If given the opportunity, do you wish to go to Auckland or to remain here?’’ the Magistrate asked Gould. Gould; I would rather stay here if I was not under the care of the State and had my job. Towns was sentenced to 12 months reformative detention at Paparua on both charges, and Hayward was sentenced to one year’s detention. Cameron was committed to the Borstal for a period of 12 months, and Gould was remanded in custody,' and to be kept apart from other prisoners,* for one week.