LOOSE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 69, 22 March 1941, Page 13

LOOSE TALK.

CARPENTER FINED.

WARNING TO PUBLIC.

Reserved decision, in the first case of its kind heard in the Dominion, was given at the Police Court yesterday afternoon by Mr. F. IT. Levien. S.M.. in the case in which Francis Allan Townsend. carpenter, was charged with a breach of (he Censorship and Publicity l-'.iucrgency Kegula t ions. Townse.nd was fined £•">. Townsend, who had ap|>eared on summons, was charged that on January 4. at l'almerston North, in a manner likely to prejudice the public safety, lie published information which might be useful to t he enemy. I.ast Friday, when the case was heard, the Court was cleared. Defendant, who pleaded not guilty, was represented by Mr. Bruce F1 worth. According to the evidence, defendant was overheard bv a military oflieer speaking in a barber's shop about conliilential defence work on which lie had been engaged. Mr. Levien said he had looked into the matter thoroughly, and had come to the conclusion that the defendant mu-t. be convicted. In view of the regulations, it wars impossible for him to enlarge on the matter, but he proposed to draw attention to the fact that 11 v ide net. hail been set under the regulations iu connection with information which would or might, be direct lv or indirectly useful to a State with which His Majesty was at war. There was a wide ambit of the regulations which should be made public, and there were other regulations which dealt with the publishing of all sorts of details, ami they were more specifically set out. If the regulations were to be adhered to and enforced the public, would be well advised to consider them. The magistrate added that defendant had been warned not to disclose the special work he was on. and he did disclose information which might have been useful to any State with which llis Majesty was at war.

"This is the tirst prosecution of its kind and I take that into consideration,"' said Mr. Levien. "He will be filled £5 and costs."