The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-28

ViCted by jury Of stealing two tape
measures valued at $40 from the firm
of Hail and Company. The circuit
court finds it out of its power to send
boys to the Reformatory school, yet
that is where boys of this character
should be sent. 1t is unjust that boys
of such age should be sent to Jail for a
year. That this was the case was rea-
LIKED by Judge Robinson, by the prose-
cution and by the jury which convicted
and the matter was informally discuss
ed in court, the outcome being that sem
tence was suspended till Monday next
when the father viii be summoned be-
fore the court and some effort viii be
made to get round the law, and have
the boy sent to the Reform school.
Cases of petty larceny committed by
children below the age of fifteen have
really no place in the Circuit court, but
If they must come there the Circuit
court ought to have the power to send
such small misdeameanants to the Re
form school. Moreover sentences to the
Reform school should befor a time long
enough to allow the'discipline of the in
stitution and it's methods, to be assmil-
ated Short sentences. say of three or
six months do not give sufficient time
for the benefit of the institution to, be
felt. Even a year is but a short time.
The experience Of the present Super
intendent of the Reform School is that
the majority of the boys are not vicious
irh l.
easily led away, but they are amenable
to good Influences Indeed Sense of
honor can be aroused among them, and
certain privileges can be allowed them
which they appreciate and do all in
their power not to forfeit. Thus on
Saturdays they are allowed to walk, of
course under charge of their guards,
and go into the cool valleys and up the
wind swept ridges They are permitted
to battle in the streams. but there has
been no attempt to escape. To do so
would lie to cut off the privilege of all
for time, so that the boys are them
selves interested in Watching one an
other.
There have been boys brought up in
the Reform School who have turned out
remarkably well and who have become
respected and useful citizens, and there
is no doubt that when the school is
moved to its country home at the other
end of the island, and the boys are en-
ployed in farming much better work
will be able to be carried out, and in
stead of a Reform school 1t will become
true industrial school. When this is
accomplished a girls Industrial school
will be able to be opened and much
good may be done in this direction. The
necessity for girls industrial school
has been recognized by every one who
has any knowledge of the purlieus of
the city. A beginning might be made
during the fall of the year, if only the
money should be Forthcoming, but
change and reforms of this kind cannot
be made without money. - ',. r.
In sending boys for heightened term
to the Reform school, there is no hard
and fast rule that the sentence should
be carried out in fulArIf The Superin-
tendent sees that boy has thoroughly
reformed, and will be of use to his fam
lily as wage Garner he can make ap-
pication to the superintendent for
leave to dismiss This application is
forwarded to the committing magis- !
trate and to the High Sheriff If these
sign approval of the document, the APP
plication is granted. Again there are |
some times special cases where a bow |
"a . A II sc
drlfted down here on a transport stole |
a bicycle and was committed to the Re |
form school for couple of years. Ei1s
father came through on another trans
port and acting under this provision Of |
the law, the boy was released and went
with his father to Manila A few weeks /
ago Portuguese boy was released OH
a somewhat similar request. The whole
family of Portuguese was going to set
tie in the mainland If the boy was |
Kept in the reformatory there would
nave been no where for him to 90
when his time was up. Fortunately the
law allowed of his release and he ac-
companied his parents to San Francisco
Conviction to the prison from the Cir
cult Court would not allow this sort Of
action, the prisoner would have to serve
the whole of his sentence out. What
the court can do is to suspend sentence
Tor definite time and then let the par
ents make application for the boy to go
TO the Reform School, to which the
District Court could commit. but there
could be no letting up upon a sentence
so arranged because there would al
ways be the suspended sentence of the
circuit court, hanging over the head Of
the small culprit. 'lH'' <'f
VALUE OF TRANSIT.
Inc railway enterprises upon Hawaii