Dinghy Joy Ride

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 340, 28 April 1928, Page 1

Dinghy Joy Ride

Magistrate’s Apology to Youths Before Court

COMEDY OF JUSTICE

Accused of joy-riding on the Waitomata in a dinghy, two wellflrown youths had the peculiar experience at court this morning of not only being discharged “without a blemish,” but of receiving •n apology from the court. It was not as though they had not dona the joy-riding. According to the police the two, 18 and 17 years of age, wero in the habit of borrowing a fisherman's dinghy on Sunday mornings and rowing out to do some fishing. One morning all the fishermen’s boats were out of the way, but there was a strange dinghy handy. Someone gave them permission to use It and they got aboard. When they were hauling in the schnapper, the owner of the dinghy cam© along with his lines and discovered that his boat was gone. He told the police, v;ho had to go on with th© action, although they appreciated the fact that it was a trifling offence. “This isn’t theft,” said Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M. ‘‘There seems no reason in the world \%hy you boys should have been brought here. I’m sorry to see you here.” The court used its right of withdrawing the information against the younger lad, and requested the police *°t? 0 sam e for the elder one. ■Detective-Sergeant Kelly agreed, l may say that the father of one boy has been locking for the complainant o pay him for the use of the boat,” • said, “but he has been unable to find him.”