Honest Papanui children lauded
Three Papanui children have been given Good Citizen Awards by Shirley/Papanui Community Board after finding nearly $300 in the street and handing it to the police.
Tyson Dench-Poutu and Joel and Lael Vincent were on their home from school when they saw the money blowing around in the breeze near the corner of Northcote Road and Uxbridge Street. They also saw a pair of sunglasses and a bank deposit book on the pavement. The children immediately started to pick up everything in a bid to return them to their owner.
They managed to recover everything but a $20 note, which was grabbed by another child who took it to the nearest dairy to spend.
The trio went straight to the other boy’s mum, and she got to the dairy in time to rescue what was left.
Some $292 and the other items were handed to Papanui Police, who traced their owner from the deposit book. It was rent money, and the owner was so relieved to get it back he offered a reward to each of the three boys. The fourth child’s mother took $12 from her own pocket into the police station to help replace what was spent.
Yvonne Palmer, Chair of Shirley/Papanui Community Board, says the board members were extremely impressed with the children’s honesty.
“This a tremendous example to all of us of good citizenship, and how a simple good deed can make all the difference to somebody,” Mrs Palmer says.
“The Community Board couldn’t let this go by without recognising their efforts with Good Citizen awards. We think they’ve well and truly earned them through their honesty and sense of community.” |
