UNUSUAL CASE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 166, 27 April 1935, Page 2

UNUSUAL CASE

WIRELESS TRANSMISSION.

ROSEHILL RACE INCIDENT.

(United Press Association—Copyright). SYDNEY, April 26.

In the Police Court, Walter Bedford was charged with having used an unauthorised wireless transmitting set on the Rosehill racecourse on April 16. Rufus Theodore Naylor, Charles Howies, Erio Gordon and) Bert Sheely were charged with having aided and abetted an offence against the Wireless Telegraphy Act. At the conclusion of the hearing the Magistrate reserved his judgment because the validity of the Wireless Tele l graphy Act is at present being challenged in the High Court.

A Sydney message on April 7 stated:

The official radio inspectors have lately been intrigued by mysterious messages transmitted from suburban racecourses and have adopted all sorts of means for discovering the delinquent. Their efforts were rewarded, at the Rosehill course.

Yesterday, with the ftid 1 of a vestpocket short-wave detector, a man was observed behaving suspiciously, and constantly fidgeting with his pocket in the saddling paddock at Rosehill. The police, acting in concert with the radio inspectors, searched the man and allegedly found a most ingenious trarisi mitting set, with aerial and 'battery strapped to his body.

Two other men were later discovered in possession of a miniature receiving set located near a broadcasting stand outside the course.

The police arrested fiye men—Rufus Theodore Naylor, aged 52, an inje§tors Charles Rowles, aged 26, a radio mechanic ; Eric Gordon, aged 32, a journalist and radio announcer; , Bert Sheely, aged 47, a clerk, and Walter Bedford, aged, 25, an electrician and mechanic.

Bedford is charged with having used an illegal radio transmitting set. Naylor, Rowles, Gordon and' Sheely are charged with aiding and abetting an offence against the Wireless Telegraphy Act. All were released on Dai} of £IOO. The authorities declare that ' the illegal set was used to transmit betting and other racing features on a secret short wave.