THRASHING FOR BOYS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1929, Page 5

THRASHING FOR BOYS

MAGISTRATE’S COMMENT

.By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

GISBORNE, March 9

“What about twenty strokes of the birch?” said Magistrate Levvy, in the Children’s Welfare Court this morning, when a fifteen year old boy came before him for joy-riding in motor cars. The hoy had admitted four charges of that nature.

The police stated the boy had been in the habit of removing motors for about 1§ months. The boy would watch the parking places in town. As soon as some motorist left his motor the boy .would take it joy-riding picking up girls and others. The boy had been before the Magistrate in 1927 for breaking, entering and theft. “What about twenty strokes of he birch?” said the Magistrate. “See they are heavy ones! Make him touch his toes. I want to give him something that will leave a mark and that he will remember for a long time.

The Magistrate asked the boy’s father if he would consent to the punishment, and the father said u \ es,” stating that he was not sticking up for the boy.

The lad was then ordered to be given twenty strokes of the birch at the .discretion of the senior sergeant of police. The Magistrate stated that if .that did no good, he’d send him to the Borstal Institute.

Tn another case before the Magistrate at the Child Welfare Court, two brothers, one aged fourteen years, and the other ten years, admitted breaking entering and theft from a private residence, which according to the police. had been ransacked from top to bottom.

The lad’s counsel suggested that the boys should receive a sound thrashing by a police officer. On the lads’ father giving his consent. the case was adjourned hv the Magistrate for six months. The Magistrate said that the police need not he so severe on the younger hoy, who was commended by the police - for his truthfulness, and was the tool of his brother.