TWENTY-SIX CHARGES

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 73, 29 April 1929, Page 7

TWENTY-SIX CHARGES

AIAORI YOUTHS' AMAZING CAREER OF C1UME. HAS FINALE IN POLICE COURT. On the night of April S last, two young natives, wards of the Statc, set olf upon a c:u*eer of crime, tlie recitation of which reads like one of those paper-backed "thrillers" boloved of boyhood. As a result of their orgy, these youths, Tuku Carroll, agcd 18, and Rehuti. Poururangi, aged 17, appeared in the Napier Police Court tliis morning to each answer 13 charges a rising out of their osc-apadc, entering a plea of guilty in each case. These included tlie conversion of four cars,' valued at £390, £16-5, £300 and £600 respectively, wilful damage, theft of mail hags, theft of groceries, three charges of theft of benzine, and two charges of breaking entering and theft. The reading of the charges alone and the taking of pleas tliereon, occupied quite a eonsiderablo time. "These two yqutlns are wards of the State, and were quarterod out at Kohupatiki, near Clive. Unfortunately they were too close to caclt otlier, sir," remarked Detective-Sergeani Fitzgibbon. in opening his case. He went on to explain how on the evening of April 8 last, the two youths left their places of employment and converted a car, the property of the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Co opcrative Association, to their own use, taking it from where it was standing in a Hastings strect. Tlicv then set out for Rotorua, and, passing through Te Pohue, knocked up the storekeeper, who was ratlier long in coming down. so the two miscreants broko his window with stones and de--campcd. I11 the morning, Air Howell, the storekeeper, l'otind a mask at his l'ront door, which Carroll had admitted was his property. The two accnsed al.so had in tliis car a double-barrelled gun with ammunition. The twain carried 011 to Hamilton, breaking open bowsers on their routeto obtain tlie necessary petrol. AA'here they could not break open tlie bowsers, thoy would drive up and obtain a fill of benzine and would then order oi 1, dccamping as soon as the attendant's back was turned. As tlicv drove r* -ig country roads they robhed the mail hoxes of private residents. slit open the mail hags. and took cheques which they contained. Tliey also took

tood supphes lett m tlie boxes 111 somo cases. Tliey reached Hamilton on April 12, and there abandoned ihe car they converted in Hastings, and commandecred anotlier, which they ruined completelv, driving it back to Clive without oil. At Clive they broke into Air Hellyer's sliop, removed the safe and attempted to open it with an axe, but failed; They then set out on yet another orgy and at Awatoto converted another car to their own use This did not nieet. with tlieir approval, so at "Westshore they converted anotlier car to their own use and carried 011. This car was outside the residence of its owner, Mr Fox, who happened to liear tlio car as they drove o(F, giving chaso in a more poworful car. and catching the two hoys. Carroll got awav at this time. but was suhsequently capturert. "What about all this money invol ved T'queried tlie Alagistrate. The detective-sergeant : Two of the cheques have hcen recovercd. but Carroll says that tlie others have been toru up. "AA'ell, it just shows how our attempts to do as woll as can be for young fellows who make a muck of things go astray," remarked the Alagistrate. referring to the fact that hoth youths had previouslv heen placed on probation for otlier ofl'ences. His Worship went on to snv that lie did not know what to do with the youths. and had it in mind to sentence them to a sharp term of iniprisonment. Thev would, however he convicted 011 all charges and sentenced to Borstal for a period not excceding three years. An order for the Tpturn of the stoleir pro pcrty was made.