FOOLISH BOYS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1920, Page 3

FOOLISH BOYS.

-HOLIDAY LICENNI-

AND WHAT FOLLOWED

(Grey .Star)

With a few days of the Xmas holidays still to run, five Cobden lads Miiid'er. 15 years of age, decided to amuse themselves on the Cobden Butts with 6 rifles and 2000 rounds of (lmiminitiion- No,t possessing the required skeleton key they found that an axe, used in tin- right way, would also open the ammunition storeroom doors, so before long they fixed their eyes on more rifles and ammunition than they desired to carry away. How many of the 2609 rounds would have been used in practice before the “outlaws” started “winging” one another is not known, but before long the police had the matter in hand, With the police on the trail the idea of shooting off the guns lost a lot of its ioys, so the lads hid the boot v and spent a few days in fear and trembling, no doubt watching the police at work from behind trees and shrub. When the loader was run to earth he told of large supplies of ammunition ho had found, thinking it unworthy of mention, that lie found the spoils In the same place he had hidden them.

But ‘after the day there’s a price to pay,’ and for this reason five youths met the Greymouth Magistrate in his room on Monday morning. Mr Uar,ratt, Cobden schoolmaster, said all' the boys had good characters, and previously had always amused themselves in orthodox ways. As the rifles had Ibeen recovered with most of the ammunition, and 15s received to repair the broken door the lads were cautioned and discharged. The lads were ordered that, in future they should he inside before 6 p.m., in the Winter and 7 p.m. in the Summer unless in the company of parents or adults. The most unkindest cut of all was no pictures for twelve months on any condition.