Corpun file 22443

New Zealand Truth, Auckland, 4 October 1924, p.5

Boys Assault Girl

Birch for Fourteen-Year-Olds

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Two boys of about 14 years of age were before Magistrate Hunt at Auckland the other day charged with indecently assaulting a girl 14 years of age. They both pleaded guilty.

Father Bradley said that the boys should be severely punished. He knew one of the youths, who was an only child, and had never had a good thrashing all his life. A birching would do him good.

The S.M. suggested twelve strokes, and Father Bradley did not think that was too much -- a view that was shared by Mr. Cubitt, the Juvenile Probation Officer -- and this was ordered by the Bench.

It appeared from the police report that the boys had acted jointly in perpetrating the offence. Chief Detective Cummings stated that one of the boys got hold of the girl -- who came of very respectable parents -- while the other lad attempted to commit an offence. Fortunately, the plot had not succeeded.

The S.M. severely admonished the youths and passed sentence as stated above.