CAR CONVERSION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 41, 17 January 1938, Page 11

CAR CONVERSION.

FICTION IN THE LAW. OUTSPOKEN MAGISTRATE. CHRISTCHURCH. Jan. 14. “These boys are not children. They cannot go round wantonly damaging things. They persisted in their stupidity by raiding places, and when they come before the Court I am asked to treat them as poor innocent children and deal leniently with them.” These comments were made by Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M., in admonishing two youths, Jack Radcliffe, a labourer, aged 20, a.nd Robert Greenaway, a plumber’s apprentice, aged 19, who pleaded guilty to two charges of converting motpr cars and. to several charges oi theft. • “For some time p<ast a number of these young men have been relying on an extraordinary provision of the law which establishes that the conversion of a motor car is not theft, and have been playing fast and loose in motor cars,” continued Mr Levvey. “I can only administer the law as it stands. It is quite time that that fiction in the law should be abolished, and that the theft of cars should be put in the same category as the theft of any other article.” Accused were jointly charged with the conversion of two motor cars, the first valued at £320, the property of Charles Walter Cooper, and the second valued at £3OO. belonging to Ivan Edward Walker. Both were also charged with minor thefts. The Magistrate said he had considered the probation officer’s reports,,and he thought that there was perhaps a chance that accused would reform when placed under proper supervision. They would be admitted to probation under strict conditions, and would have to repay the damage, as well as meet a heavy fine. On one of the conversion charges accused were convicted and fined £2O each, in default three months’ imprisonment. For the theft of a handbag they were admitted to probation for four years, a special condition being that they are prohibited from driving motor cars, and must- obtain the consent of the probation officer before being allowed out at night.