container.Base: getItem()

    /**
    * @param {String} reference
    * @returns {Object|Neo.component.Base|null}
    */
    getItem(reference, items = this.items) {
        let i     = 0,
            len   = items.length,
            item,
            childItem;
        
            for (; i < len; i++) {
                item = items[i];
                if (item.reference === reference) {
                    return item
                } else if (item.items) {
                    childItem = this.getItem(reference, item.items);

                    if (childItem) {
                        return childItem;
                    }
                }
            }
        return null
    }

something like this would help to address components better