HUNTLY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3135, 18 August 1892, Page 2

HUNTLY.

Youthi'DlThikvjw.—Notwithstanding our Education Act, the number of youthful

offenders who have to appear before our magistrates and J.Ps. to answer charges of

ill-deeds done is ever on the increase. This criminal tendency may bo attributed primarily to the laxity of parents who fail to exercise their parental control over the boys ; and, where parents are wholly indifferent as to whether their children atteud school or not, the school committees aro responsible in a degree, second only to that of parents, for such evil consequences by allowing the most important clauses of the Education Act—those referring to compulsory attendance—to remain a dead letter in

their several districts.—Two young lads, named Harlock and Hawkins, who were working at a flaxmill at Rangirin, wore arrested there on Monday last by Constable White for damaging property and stealing

honey from Mr W. Reid. They were brought hore and lodged in the lock-up,, and on Tuesday were charged before Messrs J. H. Graham and R. R. Ralph, J.Ps., with the offence. They pleaded guilty, and after receiving an admonition from the Bench, were sentenced to forty-eight hours' imprisonment and to receive twelve strokes ot the birch on Wednesday morning. It appears that they went into a paddock of Mr Reid's and capsized the whole of his bee-hives (soma fifteen in number) 'tnd took away what honey there was, some of it being found in their possession when arrested. The Beiok Works.—l mentioned a short time ago that the brick works here were likely to close down, and now regret to say that it is an accomplished fact. The Onehunga Ironworks Company had the property on lease, at the termination of which it fell into the owner's (Mr Collins) hands. As showing how such industries—which, when working, act as feeders to the railway—are " encouraged " by the Commissioners, no sooner did the lessees notify them of the expiration of their lease than they (the Commissioners) immediately, and without advising the owner of their intention, ripped up the siding leading to the brick-yard and stacked the sleepers and rails, silent witnesses to their business sagacity. It is presumed, no doubt, that should the owner start operations again at any future time, he will be obliged to make application de novo for a siding and pay the original private siding fee instead of a periodical rent (in advance) for the siding which was already laid ; hut those Commissioners are "sly," Sir. Like .Joseph Bagstock, they are de-vilish sly.