LIQUOR IN KING COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1917, Page 6

LIQUOR IN KING COUNTRY.

YOUTHS LED ASTRAY. rmT"? men ' earned David .John UHalloran (17) an,l Mieliaol O'Halloran US), were brought before Mr. A. Crooke, " • at "•<! New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday charged with having, on Juh at rongaporutu. stolon one ca-e of whisky, valued at £4 IGa, the property of Arthur Joseph Cavanagh. and ono case of whisky, valued at £2 6 S , the property of Kdward John Jury. Further informations charged the younger lad, David, 'with having sold whisky to two residents of the district, it bein'<r within a proclaimed area. ° The defendants, for whom Mr. J. 11, Quilliam appeared, pleaded guilty to all tho charges. Sub-Infcpector Mellveney said he did not know that in all his experience of the doings in no-lieense districts, now extending over twenty years, he had ever come across a sadder case than the one before the court. Both boys had very respectable parents and a "good home, und both were of good behaviour ordinarily, although sotno time ago the younger lad had been led astray at Awakino by people witii 'whom he had associated, and who. instead of protecting him from evil influences, had led him from the proper path, and: his poor Mother had to take him home. In the present case the younger lad had become aware that He whisky was being brought into the district by coach, and Buggesied to his elder brother that they Bhould take it. They did so, taking the cases into tho bush, abstracting the bottles of whisky and then burning the cases. There apparently ensued a general drinking of the whisky, and the younger defendant, who was dnly 17 year?, and a still younger lad of 15. were drunk last Sunday. It appeared that elder men in the district had not hesitated to avail themselves of the opportunity, and he (the sub-inspector) would consider it his duty to take proceedings against them. The two defendants had never previously been before the court, anil the constable stationed in the district, Constable McGregor, spoke of them as being hard-. working lads, whose previous conduct had been beyond reproach. The cider one had attempted to serve his country by joining the 17th Reinforcements. What the result would be if young men in proclaimed areas were to be thus led astray by elder men, who should really be their protectors, it would be '.aid to say. It was a very serious mutter indeed."

His Worship asked if there would be any means of getting the defendants out of the district. What was their occupation?

Sub-Inspector Mellveney said their father was a respectable hard-working man, and they had been doing ordinary laboring work. He was satisfied it was not the fault of the father nor of their home life that the young men had gone astray. He had thought of suggesting a short sentence and a recommendation to reformative treatment, but Constable McGregor did not consider that course would be necessary. Mr. Quilliam had a suggestion to make to the court, with which he (the Sub-Inspector) agreed. Tho two lads had met the police in a very honest and straightforward manner, and with a degree of open truthfulness not often experienced in connection with proclaimed area cases. In the opinion of the constable there was little, if any, likelihood of the defendants again offending in the same way. Mr. Ouilliain said it was a very remarkable circumstance that it should be considered necessary to take boys out of a no-license district into a licensed district in order to protect them from drink.

His Worship said lie had not meant that exactly. Ho ha«l merely intended to suggest that it might be advisable to remove them from their present surroundings, not that they would necessarily be safer in a licensed district.

.Mr. Quilliam expressed regret that his Worship had not meant the other tiling, because tiiere seemed to be little doubt lhat lioen-ed arena were safer for young men. What the Sub-Inspeitor had sarid 'with regard to the circumstances was <]iiite correct. The defendants did steal the whisky, and the younger one had sold some of it to elder men, about whose disgraceful conduct he dui not think ahything too harsh c-ould be said. He submitted that it was a case hi which his Worship might exercise his powers to graht probation, the course to which tii£ Sub-Inspector had agreed. His "Worship considered the suggestion a satisfactory solution, ami after hearing a staU'Wnt from Con-table McUregor as to tlie iMnduet and character of the defendants, admitted them to probation for twelve months on the usual conditions, and on the .-pecial conditions that: (1) They report weekly to the countable for the time being stationed at Mokau; (£l that they abstain from strong drink lor a period of kvelvo 'months; (3) that they pay the costs .of the prosecution, jjli His. and the vah.'c of ill" wjii-ky stolen, C 7 4s, the latter s'.mi to be paid to the constable elation.-? in the district on_bel;;i!f of the owners of !*he property. With regaid to the char!!!' of ,i-lliiig against the younger deieiKhni;. he wmld be convicted but no penalty impoieii.