YOUTHFUL WANDERER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 135, 30 January 1932, Page 5

YOUTHFUL WANDERER

TRAMPED FROM WELLINGTON TO ROTORUA VIA AUCKLAND NOW FACING THEFT CHARGE Although in some of its aspects, not altogether a creditable story to the youngster, the account of the wanderings of a 13-year old boy who is at present detained at the Rotorua police station, is in its way rather an epic of grit and persistance. The lad, who told the police that he had run away from his home in Wellington owing to an unhappy home life, since Christmas has tramped or begged rides from Wellington: to Palmerston North, from Palmerston North to Wanganui, from Wanganui to Raetahi and Ohakune, from Ohakune to Napier, from Napier to Auckland and from Auckland back to Rotorua. The boy apparently was not averse to work and in several of his stopping places earned money hy selling papers and doing odd jobs. H-e had been working for about three weeks on a farm in the Rotorua district, when a sum of money was missed and he was charged with theft. The small wanderer is a well developed lad of considerable intelligence, and the police are at present considering what course of action to adopt in dealing with his case. The youngster when questioned hy the police at the station, said that as a result of unhappy circumstances at his home in Wellington he had leffe there hefore Christmas and tramped his way to Auckland.' He later came South again as far as Rotorua where he obtained work with a farmer on the Taupo Road. He left the iarm at ahout 11 a.m. yesterday, admittedly with the intention of leaving town again, hut on information being reeeived by the police that the boy had decamped from the farrii and that money was missing from the house a search was made for him. He was found at ahout midday and taken to the poliee station. The police have communicated with the police in Wellington with a view to having the boy's story of his home life investigated and he will probably he hrought hefore the Childfen's • Court later.