YOUTHFUL CRIMINAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2507, 16 November 1922, Page 2

YOUTHFUL CRIMINAL.

AX EXTRAORDIXARY RECORD

Hamilton, Last X'iylit. A rather extraordinary story was revealed in the Police Court when Erie Robert Burnett, aged 17 years, who only arrived in the Dominion li months’ ago, was charged with breaking into several business premises at Morrinsville and stealing small amounts, and with breaking in to several railway stations between Morrinsville railway and Hamilton, also with burning down the Morrinville railway station bookstall, and attempting to burn the Motumaoho Railway Station. Evidence was given that the accused, after commit I iny the burglaries at Morrinsville and setting alight to the bookstall, stole a jigger and'-proceeded to Hamilton, burglarising stations in mule. He then caught the express for Anekland. where he was arrested the same night. Prisoner, in a written statement, admitted the offences, and said lie did not know what prompted him to set lire to the Morrinsville bookstall and Motumaoho station. He did the net deliberately, putting a match to the hooks and papers at the bookstall and leaving burning •* kerosene lamp, which lie had lit. He saw the place in llanics as he made his wav along the line towards Motumaoho. When he arrived at the latter station, and found nothing worth stealing, he unscrewed the burner off a lamp and threw kerosene about the Moor. He placed the burner in a drawer amongst sonic papers and s<q lire to the wick and also set tire to some papers slacked in a corner of the office. Ii was stated that prisoner had already served six weeks’ imprisonment for stealing a purse containing '.'Ml from a lady seated next to him during prayer at a service in tlie Baptist Tabernacle, Auckland. Prisoner pleaded guilty to all charges and was committed for sentence at Auckland. .