BENCH COMMENDS BOY SCOUTS
PLUCKY CAPTURE OF SNATCHER

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   A party of seven Boy Scouts of the 2nd Hongkong (Catholic Cathedral) Group were responsible for the arrest of a thief who had snatched a handbag from Mrs. P.J.Stoneham, of No. 260 Prince Edward Road, yesterday afternoon.
   There was a sequel to the incident when Lau Kwong-wing, 23, unemployed, appeared before Mr. E.I.Wynne-Jones in the Central Police Court this morning, charged with stealing the handbag. He denied the offence.
   Mrs. Stoneham testified that at 5.45 p.m. yesterday she was walking down Battery Path with her bag under her left arm. She was also carrying a parcel. The thief came up from behind, snatched the bag and made off up the hill. She ran after him, shouting for help. She came across a European couple who joined in the chase. The thief bolted through the Cathedral grounds and turned left as he got into Garden Road. She then lost sight of the man. Later her bag was handed back to her and she saw the thief in the custody of several Scouts. She was certain the defendant was the man who snatched her bag.
   Defendant: I saw the thief snatch the bag and I ran after him.

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LADY'S EVIDENCE

   Mrs. A.A.Andrews, of No. 15 Bowen Road, stated that she was walking with a friend when she saw a Chinese man running with something under his coat. She took up the chase shouting "Stop him; he has got something." In Garden Road, she saw the thief throw the bag against the wall of the barracks and it fell on the road.
   "A very small Boy Scout jumped out and caught him by the neck. By that time it was impossible for the man to get away as he was surrounded by Scouts," the witness added.
   Scout Roy Maxwell, aged 15, of No. 1 Ashley Road, deposed that he saw two ladies running after the thief. He saw him drop the bag. Together with other Scouts ho arrested him and handed the thief over to the constable on traffic point duty at the base of Garden Road.
   "I caught the man round the neck," said the witness.

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SCOUTS CONGRATULATED

   The Magistrate: I congratulate you. You have done very well indeed.
   The remainder of the party of Boy Scouts, all in uniform, were brought into Court and the Magistrate thanked them for what they had done.
   In a statement from the dock, defendant said he had no witnesses to call. He was poor and had been given a letter to collect a dollar for food from a friend.
   The Magistrate convicted defendant and passed sentence of four months' hard labour, with twelve strokes of the birch. If he is unfit for the birch, defendant is to serve an extra two months' imprisonment.
   Detective Sergeant Kinnear conducted the case for the prosecution.

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KOWLOON CASE

   At the Kowloon Magistracy this morning, an unemployed man named Wong Sang was sentenced to nine months' hard labour and twelve strokes of the birch for snatching a handbag from a woman named Leung Wai-chiu at the junction of Jordan and Nathan Roads. The man was arrested by Mr. A.W.Davidson, who chased him in a motor car.