Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE: MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1883.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1253, 22 January 1883, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE: MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1883.

The fine imposed by the Resident Magistrate on young Skipworth on Saturday, is to our mind very severe. The boy against whom no previous conviction lias ever been recorded, stole from Mr Knight’s orchard at Makaraka, plums, to the value of twopence. Well it is only a venial offence, and one which very few boys have not been guilty of. The severity of the decision does not affeet the boy, but the father, who we may mention is a gentleman of irreproachable char acter, a good father, and a highly respected citizen. The great question is

however, did the offence merit the i punishment? We are of opinion it! did not, and furthermore that Mr. I Price overstepped the limit of power he i possesses in dealing with the offence in ■ the manner he did. Looking at it : from a judicial point of view Mr. , Price sees in the crime something I most heinous, but had that gentleman I cast aside his robe of office for the ; nonce and have looked at it as a man who himself had once been a hoy, we I fancy that he would have inflicted a much lighter fine. Let it be clearly understood that we do not for a moment think that the boy should have escaped “ scot free on the contrary we are of opinion that as he had done wrong he deserved punishment, but the amount imposed is al together too large for the pnltry nature of the offence. There is an old story told about Eton College which appears to us to apply in the present case. It appears that the young gentlemen attending that institution were in the habit of robbing an orchard near the grounds, and it i was in vain that notices such as “ Beware of the dog,” spring guns,” and “ man traps,” were placed upon the walls. Boy-like, the young fellows rather enjoyed the dan ger they expected to incur, and their depredations were more than ever. i In despair the proprietor of the orI chard waited upon the principal of the i College and consulted him as to the I best steps to be taken in the matter. I The principal, after thinking for a moment or so, advised the gentleman consulting him to put up a notice, “All young gentlemen attending Eton College may enter these grounds and partake of as much fruit as the wish \ gratis." The lads, as usual on the ! following day. started out to secure their accustomed plunder, but when the}’ saw the notice they turned on their heels auk walkek away muttering

“The idea of such a thing. If we want fruit we can buy it.” Now, we are somewhat of opinion that if young I Skipworth had been given liberty to take the plums he would have indignantly scorned the offer ; but as he had to run a certain risk he thought that like stolen kisses they would be doubly sweet. A letter couched in somewhat warm terms appears in another column, pointing out the inI justice of so severe a penalty being indicted for so small a crime, and although the tone of it is, to use an Americanism, “ rather rough,” we cannot but agree with the arguments set forth.