HIS FIRST LAPSE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 107, 26 October 1911, Page 3

HIS FIRST LAPSE.

BOY STK.VJ.S A WATCH. In the .Juvonili 1 Court yesterday, Mr. H. iS. Fitzhci'lirrt, S.M., presilding. a Fitzvoy youth 14 years of age pleaded I guilty to a charge of stealing a watch and clmin, value 7s fwl, the property of an old age pensioner named Wilson, who aNo reside* nt-Fitzroy. Senior-Sergeant Dart explained that the defendant took a hammer to the complainant on Tuesday and aske ( d him to mend it for him. The old man left the hoy sitting on his bunk close to where the watch and chain were hanging up. and after doing something iol the hammer found that his watch anil | 1 chain and the boy had gone. Cornstable Boulton was communicated with I ail from the description given he ar-j rested the defendant, who was then wearing the chain and case of the watch. He had taken the works out of the case' and thrown them away in his owm yard. The watch was now quite useless.] Me asked that the value of the watch

(7s) should be paid to the complainant, and also 3s for the time occupied in. the court and 8d bus fare. Senior-Sergeant Dart further explained that he had seen the master of the Fitzroy school and he had expressed his regret. for the sake of the boy's mother, that In; was riot able to say anything in his favor, lie was inclined to be a bully : he was much bigger than most boys of his age, but did not recognise that this should make him more careful of his conduct. Ilis father and mother were anxious to do what they con V.I for him, but they did not seem' able to control and look after him. The question was whether he should be sent to an

industrial school or into the oountry if employment could ibe found for him. The schoolmaster did not want him to go back to the school, and it was obvious he could not be allowed to roam about. Tie understood he could go on a farm belonging to a brother. The defendant was a first offender. The boy's mother said she could not understand the schoolmaster having made such statements. Her soil was a. thoroughly good boy and had never given her any trouble. ■ | In reply to the J'ench the defendant said he had never stolen anything be-1 fore. ' j hi reply to tin* Magistrate the boy'smother expressed her willingness to pay immediately the amounts asked for by I Senior-Sergeant Dart. Mr. Fitzllerbert. akldressing the defendant. said there was always a beginning to doing wrong and doing good. "You are a. hoy that belongs to reI spectable parents and go to the ordinary State school, and J am surprised to find that under then- circumstances voji j should have given way at such an age to' committing a theft. Now you have got' to stop it straight away, because if you don't the result will be that having! taken one thing you will take another! and go oil until you become a habitual criminal and pass most of your time in gaol to the sorrow of your parents audi in jury of all your future prospects." | He was going' to deal leniently with the defendant on this occasion as it was his) liist offence and as his mother gave him] a good name, lie would not convict the hoy. but di-i-hirge him on his mother p lying thi' .-mi' of money mentioned. He urged the boy to do everything possible to keep awav from the very thought of committing a crime a'jain. 4- l u-ive you this warning very seriously. There is a choice in front ot you of being an honest and ro-pected man in the future or a man not lit to associate with your fellow beings." Tile boy promised the Magistrate, that he would lead a .straightforward life.