UNCONTROLLED YOUTH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 December 1939, Page 7

UNCONTROLLED YOUTH

CHARGES IN BLENHEIM. COMMENTS BY MAGISTRATE & POLICE SERGEANT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) BLENHEIM, December 6. Lack of parental control over young people of both sexes in Blenheim was strongly commented on by Senior-Ser-geant Smyth in the Children's Court, when fourteen boys between the ages of fourteen and seventeen were dealt with on a series of charges of carnal knowledge of two girls under the age of sixteen years. Subsequently three older accused aged eighteen to twenty-two appeared to answer similar charges. One girl aged fourteen was named in twentylive charges. The fourteen boys were committed to the care of the Child Welfare Superintendent for periods ranging up to thirty months. Jack lan Ruffell and Keith Yealands pleaded guilty to three charges of carnal knowledge. Ronald Tudor admitted three charges of attempted carnal knowledge. The accused were committed for sentence to the Supreme Court at Wellington on Tuesday. One girl was committed to the care of the State and others were severely reprimanded. The Magistrate, Mr Maunsell. expressed amazement that such serious offences should have assumed such large proportions in a town of the size of .Blenheim. He reminded the boys of what would be the ultimate result of such conduct. Such offences could only end in long terms of imprisonment.