Back yourself
Recruits to motor driving should not fail to practise control of their cars in reverse gear. The ability to ‘‘back’’ properly is a valuable contribution to safety. It is not only a great help in crowded streets of the city, but it may be a valuable aid in an emergency situation on the open road. In driving a car in reverse, the main thing for the novice to remember is to turn the steering wheel in the direction he desires to go. The inexperienced driver often thinks that because he is reversing, the wheel should be turned the opposite way than would be the case if he were moving forward.
Life-saving season opens
The official opening of the St Clair Saving and Surf-bathing Club was held on Saturday. Mr T.K. Sidey MP (patron) officially opened the season, and stressed the good work the club had done in the past. He congratulated it upon its increase in membership and its good fortune in having as a member Mr C.B. Lewis (New Zealand breast-stroke champion).
Runaway’s tale
A story of a 15 year old boy’s departure from his home at Enfield, his arrival in Dunedin with six pence in his pocket, and the events which resulted in his arrest on a charge of stealing 1000 cigarettes was told at a sitting of the Juvenile Court, before Mr H.W. Bundle SM on Saturday. The juvenile probation officer (Mr J. Lock) said that the boy had attended the Waitaki Boys’ High School till the examinations commenced, when he stayed away, without his parents’ knowledge. He had cycled from Oamaru to Palmerston, where he joined the train to Dunedin. The boy had 5 shillings when he left home, but after paying for train fare he had 6d left when he arrived here. He had slept out on Tuesday night. On the following day he had endeavoured to sell his bicycle to Mr C.H. Paul in Carroll street, but the latter was suspicious, and asked the boy to produce an authority for sale from his parents. The boy replied that his parents were dead, so Mr Paul sent an employee to the police station with the boy to obtain permission to buy the machine. At the station the boy had admitted that he had run away from home. It was later discovered that a parcel of cigarettes, left by Mr Alexander McGibbon in a shop near the railway station, had been stolen. The boy had admitted the theft, and had taken the father and the speaker to the place where he had planted them. Six packets of cigarettes were missing. The lad had been getting out of control at home, but the father, who had arrived in Dunedin on Thursday, had found a position for him.
Mr Lock said that the boy had sold his watch and chain for 4s to a secondhand dealer, who had not asked his age. The magistrate said that he did not want to enter a conviction. The case would be adjourned for two years, the boy to be under the supervision of the probation officer during that period. Restitution of six packets of cigarettes was ordered. — ODT, 7.12.1925
Compiled by Peter Dowden
