COURT NEWS

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 12, 18 March 1938, Page 2

COURT NEWS

“OUT OF. CONTROL’* OPOTIKI MAORI YOUTH THREE YEARS BORSTAL CONVERSION OF VEHICLES “It seems to me you axe a. youth wholly; out of control; you have no idea of the rights of property,” said Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., in the ALagistrate’s Court, Gisborne, on Wednesday, when committing a, 17^-year-old Alaori, Sydney Herene Rewita, to Borstal for three years, when he pleaded guilty to four charges of car conversion, and one of theft of a bicycle. The offences were committed at 0potiki, the vehicles converted being a motor truck valued at £l5O, the property of John Sloan; a motor truck valued at £230, the property of Malcolm Trevor Ross; a car valued at £IOO, the property of Martyn Vanstone and a car valued at £3OO, the property: of Claude Goodman Thompson. The bicycle stolen belonged to Percy Edward Rumble, and was valued at £9 15/-. Senior-Sergeant J. F. H. Alacnamara. said the youth was. before the Children’s Court, Opctiki. - on March 7, on a charge of unlawful conversion and the case was adjourned for three months to see how he behaved himself. On Mlurch 5 lie took a car from King Street and drove it to the wharf where he abandoned it and took the ignition key. The same night he removed another car and drove it- to Hawaj, where lie was chased and ran away. Accused had taken a camera from that, car, but- this was afterwards recovered and no charge was laid.

On March 12 he took another vehicle from King Street, hut on this occasion was seen and chased by Constables Beasley and Cooper. The youth took to the bush and escaped. There wa s a bicycle strapped to tlie back, of this car, which he had taken. In a statement to the police at Opotiki he nad admitted the offences.

The senior-sergeant, suggested the youth was entirely out of control, and his father could do nothing with him. He took vehicles and usually they Avere recovered in a damaged condition. In one instance damage to the extent of £25 had been done, and in another the ignition key had been taken. The magistrate recalled that accused was before him on March 7, when the Child Welfare Department recommended that he should lie placed under supervision. Air. V alton was not altogether satisfied with that as it was mentioned that there were other charges, so lie adjourned the case for three months on the condition that lie lived with his father and abided by his instructions. Since then lie had apparently committed two furthei offences of a similar type. Tlie Probation Officer of the Child Welfare Department. Air C. W. Burton, said tlie Department Avas agreeable at tlie time to allowing tlie lad to return to his father, with whom ho had not lived for some time. Satisfactory arrangements Avere made, hut since then he had refused to obey his father, and it avus quite evident now that the arrangement was not likely to be a success. Because of that and of his age he was not suitable for the care of the Department.