YOUNG GIRL'S LAPSE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 90, 6 October 1911, Page 3

YOUNG GIRL'S LAPSE

HEII LAST CIIAXCE. In the Juvenile Court at New l'lvmoutk yesterday, before Mr. A. Crookc, fc>.-U, a girl, fifteen and a half years of age, was charged with theft," and pleaded guilty. Slip had annexed, so Senior-Sergeant Dart informed the (xiurt, a g»ld bangle, valued at £2, and two Mouses, valued at 10s. .Sergeant Dart explained that 'the girl stole the goods from her mistress, who had just moved into a new house, and whose effects were naturally in a state of disorder. The .bangle had been taken from a jewelease on a dressing-table. The inrosccutrix found .the conteiuts of one of her boxes tumbled a.bout, and some things mistdn?, but she could only be sure of the blouses. He luid- questioned the girl, and she admitted that she had taken the things. She (old him where they were, and the goods had thus been recovered. The girl wa.s being employed Jiy the prosecutrix only by day. and was understood to be sleeipimg at home. At that time, however, she was staying at night at a friend's house, and she took the ibaiigle there, saying that it was heir sister's. The blouses she had given away, saying that they had been given her by the. .prosecutrix. .If this were the girl's first offence of the kind, said the sergeant, he would have no difficulty in asking the .Magistrate to exercise leniency in dealing with lier, but she had done the sanw sort of thing before, hi ithait ease the people who suffered by the thefts had been reluctant to .bring a young girl before the criminal court, and had admonished her and let her go, hoping that the warning would suffice. From inquiries he had made, Sergeant Dart said tliat lie had gathered that the girl's father could not control her, and a brother-in-law with whom she occasionally stayed said the same thing. It was just a question of whether to give her another chance or to send her direct to an industrial school. If she were not confined in some way she might offend again. Of course, on the other hand, His Worship might be of opinion (hat the mere appearance before the court would be a sufficient lesson to her. He was reluctant to ask him to send-a girl of her age, direct to an industrial school.

The girl's father was in court, and informod the. Magistrate in answer to a question that he had not known of the thefts. Tie would undertake to keep the girl at home a.nd not allow her to go into service again. Sergeant Dart snid The trouble was that the father lived three and a half miles away, and the girl did not necessarily go home at night. She might stay with friends or relatives or go anywhere else, but home if she were allowed to reenter service. If her father would undertake to keep her at home absolutely and control her properly it would be all right. Tier. father then assured the Bench that he would keep the girl at home, control her properly, and not allow her out at night. ■His Worship severely admonished the girl, and told her she would not be given another chance. If she were again convicted of theft she would have to go to an industrial school or to prison. She was then convicted and ordered to come up for sentence in six months.