"CRIME DOES NOT PAY"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 180, 17 August 1937, Page 7

"CRIME DOES NOT PAY"

Justice Reed's Advice to Young Offenders SENT TO BORSTAL ^fNo one but a fool would sit down and s-elect a life of crime. It never ' ' pays," said Mr. Justice Reed in the , Supreme Court at Napier this morning when he senteneed Malcolm MeGallum McKenzie, aged 19, and Albert Arthur Ashton, aged 18, both of Hastings, to periods of detention in a Borstal institution on charges of breaking and out er ing and theft. In passxng sentence and emphasising that the youthful offenders were in need of discipline, His Honour pointed out that their fu- . - ture welfare- would depend on their actions after leaying Borstal. Ashton and McKenzie were jointly charged with: (1) Breaking and eutering „by night the horae of Mr. G. E. Golwill, Raukawa, with intent to commit theft; (2) breaking aud entering by night the home of Mr. Kohoma Hokianga, Bridge Pa, with intent to commit theft; (3) stealing a tarpaulin and a coil of rope valued at £3 5/-, the propeity of Mr. J. Lyons, Raukawa; and (4) attempting to break and enter the shop of Mr. R. Fitzwilliam, Marae-" kakaho road. Hastings, with intent to» commit theft. All the oft'ences wero allegedly committed on the same nightj August 8. McKenzie in addition was charged with on August 3 (1) converting to his owu use a motor-car valued at £75, the property oi' Mr. W. B. Watson, and (2) stealing a tyre, tube, wheel rim, A.A. membeiship tieke t, and a warranf of fitness, of a total value of £3, tho / property of Mr. Watson. "Both these young men have pre-" viously been under. the supervision of the Child Welfare Department," said Mr. W. E. Bate, who appeared for both prisoners. fI understand that •the Probation Officer's report in conueetion with the present oflrences is an unfavourable one. However, I have been • in touch with the Child Welfare Offieer this morning, and he asures m« that during the time they were linden his supervision they gave every satis-> faetion, "The cireumstances of the oft'ences show' that these two lads met on the occasion of' a celebration, unwisely partook of intoxicants, and, in short, • had a 'night out,; when these crimea were committed. They did not really set out iu a spirit of crime. " His Houour: They took out whai oue calls a jemmy and a crowbar. Mr. Bate: It was a thing to. open packing caes with. Hi Honour: And to open doors witli, too. "It would seem that these two young men hawe reached a silly age, and, iu a spirit of bravado rather than of criminality, they went about their actions in a festive manner," continued Mr. Bate. He added that Ashton was supporting a widowed mother, who had brought him up, and it appeared that there was every prospect that he would eventually develop into a good citizen. In the case of McKenzie, he had had the misfortuue a few months ago to be mvolved in a serious motor accident, aud suffered a fracture of the skull, his life for a time being despaired o'f. Th® accident seemed to have impaired his understanding, and may in some way have accounted for his actions. Counsel suggested that the case® were not such as to be dealt with with the severity that might be called for in some cases, and might possiblyvb® dealt with by administering a term of probation, with strongest restrictions on their actions. "I think they want discipline," commented His Honour, and continued; "You young men are at the parfcing of the ways. One way lies to decent citizenship and the other to a life of cirme. Neither of you have been under proper discipline, and to. my mind, it is necessarv that you should be taught discipline, for which purpose I propose to send you to Borstal. "There is still time for you to pull yourselves together and to run straight, The faet that you will have been to Borstal is a handieap, but not t a serious handieap. It is not so serious 'as it would be in the case if, when you eome out of Borstal, you commit other crimes. If, after you have had the disciplinary training which I hope will do you good in Borstal, you seleet a life of crime, you will find it more and more diffieult to obtain employment. "No-one but a fool would sit down and seleet a life of crime. It never pays, I have had dealings with many criminals, and I know that no-one who had selected a life of crime can ev®e hope tq make more than decent wages." McKenzie and Ashton were each senLeneed to a period of detention in aBorstal institution not exceeding two years on each charge, the terms to be concurrent.