BLACK-OUT OFFENCES

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1942, Page 3

BLACK-OUT OFFENCES

Penalties Imposed

P.A. WELLINGTON, March 13. Clifford Wilmctt Ross was fined one pound_at Lower Hutt .yesterday, for assaulting a warden who called at his home.

In a letter to the Court, Ross said he was in a bath, when the warden called to complain that the bath? room light was showing. He went outs’de, only half clad, and told the wardens to get to hell out of it. One of them took a step towards him, <and he struck the warden on the jaw, and did not want to see the consequences.

Council for Ross said his client had a few drinks, which would explain the irrational action taken. CHRISTCHURCH, March 13.

With one exception, the penalty of cutting off electric lights which h,as been imposed on householders in Christchurch for black-out breaches will remain in force in every case. In all the othei’ cases where the light was cut off, it will stay off, and for the full week. This was made clear by the E.P.S. authorities, and although officials would fnake no specific statement on the matter, this includes an appeal against the penalty by Dr. Jane Druker, of Carlton ..Mill Road.

Next time lights are cut off for lighting breaches—that is, tor breaches observed during the next blacki-'out trial—the penalty will be for a 1 month, not. a week, said the Chief Lighting Warden, Mr F. J.

Shanks yesterday. The procedure adopted in the cutting off of lights was specifically laid down under section 10 of the Emerge cncy Lighting Regulations, which gave a constable the right of access to property in the event of a breach, and the right to take such steps as were necessary to deal with the breach.

There was no appeal from the penalty, Mr Shanks said. If there Was a specific case, and none had been reported yet, of light being cut off in , a house in which there was an invalid ci’ someone seriously ill, the revision, of the penalty could well be left, he; suggested to the “humane instincts’)-, of the lighting committee. fc The one exception has not been;;, made because of a complaint from; any offender that the penalty is too, severe—and there have been many? complaints. It was made because, the numerals in one house number' were accidentally transposed by a’ light warden, and the light was cutoff at the wrong place. When the*, mistake was discovered the response-;, was prompt. The light Was promptly' restored and a full atiology was made from the E.P.S. F