STUDENT'S CRIME

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24418, 2 October 1940, Page 5

STUDENT'S CRIME

YOUNG ** BLOODS ” IN CAR STRONG COMMENT BY JUDGE COMMITTED TO PROBATION (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. I. The opinion that the police should at once investigate the administration of the licensing laws in Stratfoid district was expressed in the Supreme Court to-day. by Mr Justice Ostler, when admitting James Ronald Hugn Morneson, aged 18, a student, to two years’ probation for failing to stop after an accident. Hi's Honor was commenting on the fact that Morrieson had been able to obtain two dozen bottles of beer from a brewery on credit, and said the facts connected with the case disclosed a disgraceful state of affairs. Addressing Morrieson. he said: • Here are vou. a boy only 18 years of age. You are not earning a penny, and are apparently living on the charity of your mother, and yet you seem to be able to own a motor car. I don*t know whether you actually own it but you have the use of it, and in these days of shortage of petrol you seem to have petro] to go to dances. That is not so bad, but here you, a boy of 18. are able to go to a brewery and buy two dozen bottles of beer, and not even pay for it. Thev take this order and book it to a boy like you. It seems to me that there is something wrong with the administration of the licensing law in your, part of the world, and it seems to me to be the duty of the police to find out how a boy is abie to obtain two dozen bottles of beer on credit, I think police ought at once to take a hand In the investigation of that. . “That is beside the point, Having supplied yourself with this beer and picked up a earful of young “ bloods ” of your'own age, you go to a dance, drinking on the way. What right had you to do that? What would your mother think? You go to a dance and then drive off witnout lights. You feel a bump, and haven’t the moral courage to stop and see whether yop, have hit-something. You don’t deserve much leniency at all. You are a university student, hoping to get a degree, and vou ought to be one of the fellows setting an example in the country instead of behaving like that. “ Solely on the ground of your youth. 1 propose to accept the recommendation of the probation officer and grant you probation.” The conditions laid down bv the judge include an order not to attend dances, not to be out after 8 p.m., and to pay the costs, £4 8s lid. The driving licence was cancelled with two years’ deprivation of it.