Five Lads Face Over Fifty Charges

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 98, 16 July 1927, Page 1

Five Lads Face Over Fifty Charges

ALL KINDS OF MISCHIEF

/|VER fifty charges of all kinds of mischief, from givingv false fire alarms to setting fire to the Normal School were preferred against five boys in the Children’s Court this morning.

THE- charges were adjourned until Monday when they will be dealt with at length. The. .court, was presided over by Mr. E. C. Gutten, S.M., and associated with him on the Bench were Mrs. N. E. Ferner and Mr. W. H. Newton.

“It is a shame that these cases have to be sent to the Supreme Court in this way and that we have not the power to deal with them in this court now,” said Mrs. Ferner. ‘'The law should be amended.” MISDEEDS OF THREE Three of the lads whose ages were 11 and 15 years were stated to be implicated in the largest number of misdeeds. They showed a fire-raising proclivity—a morbid interest in calling the Fire Brigade out and setting fire to things. In the alleged burning of the Normal School on Sunday, July 3, two more boys were associated. The offences charged against the boys covered May, June and July of this year.

In that time they established their notable record, setting fire to cases on Smith and Smith’s premises in Albert Street, to a building of Marks, Morrin and Jones, Ltd., in Nelson Street, to a dwelling in Grey Street, a storehouse in Power House Lane, to No. 5 Rutland Street, 83 Lome Street and to the City Council sheds in Sturdee Street. Two of them were together implicated in setting fire to the shop of J. G. Nook in New North Road and in breaking and entering the shop of Amos Firth, in Great North Road, from which they stole a rolled gold watch valued at £l, and completed the escapade by setting fire to the premises. The same pair were charged with setting fire to Harrison and Gash’s in Manukau Road. Then the five lads were all associated in the grand finale of setting fire to the Normal School in Wellesley Street. After that adventure they were run to earth.