WILFUL DAMAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 169, 17 July 1919, Page 11

WILFUL DAMAGE.

A PECULIAR CASE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Wednesday. The decision of Mr E. Page, S-M., was given to-day in an unusual case of interest to picture theatre proprietors. Thomas Augustus Petherick (formerly of Dannevirkef was charged with having wilfully done damage to an electric installation at the Arcadia Picture Theatre to the extent of 2/6. Evidence showed that on the evening on which the Arcadia Picture Company dispensed with Petherick'e services lights in the theatre suddenh- went out at the end of the performance before the audience had got out of the building. Petherick, when requested to put on the electric lights for the purposes of the directors' meeting, refused, and subsequently it was found that a wire had been cut in the operating box which affected the lights and would have prevented the showing of a picture on the following evening hut for the discovery of this fault. His Worship convicted Petherick, and fined bim £5 and costs £9 11/6, in default U days* imprisonment. Security was £xed for appeal.