WIRELESS EQUIPMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 December 1927, Page 9

WIRELESS EQUIPMENT.

TRADING WITHOUT LICENSE NOMINAL FINE IMPOSED.

A nominal penalty of ss, with costs 13s, was imposed by Mr .T. S. Barton, S.M., at a special meeting of the Hawera Court, this afternoon, when Messrs Goo. Syrne and Co., of Hawera, were charged that, not being the holders of ,a. dealer’s license required under the Post and Telegraphs Act, they offered for sale apparatus designed for use in connection with wire ess telegraphy. Under the particular section quoted, a maximum penalty of £SO was proyicled for. Mr E. M. Beechey, who appeared for the defendant company, entered a plea of guilty. ,Sermonnt J. Henry conducted the prosecution, and in outlining the facts •stated that within the last six months the defendant company had, acting as agents of a Wellington company 7 , received certain loud .speakers and ear ’phones for sale. Tt appeared that Svme and Co. were not aware of the necavsitv for taking out the license. “The fault lies practically with the Wellington firm in not notifying Messrs Svme and C'o. that the license was necessary,” continued tlw> sergeant. ••The Post and Te’ograpli Department, state this is just a technical .breach.” Mr. Beechey remarked that the scope of the section was very wide, and it prohibited the sale of anything which could he classed as wireless apparatus unless the necessary license was obtained. “In this case,” said counsel, “the offence was committed innocently.” When asked by the Post and Telegraph inspector defendants had admitted having the apparatus for sale on behalf of the Wellington company 7 , hut they were not informed of the necessity for them to have the license. As a result of the inspector’s report the information was laid. Counsel suggested that the publicity which would he given to the case would he finite sufficient punishment under the circumstances. In imposing the penalty mentioned, the magistrate said it appeared the breach had been committed innocently, and a nominal fine would meet the occasion.

Mr. Beechey: There anpear to be a good number of regulations to which tradespeople arc subject and with which they are not always conversant. Tlic. magistrate: Yes. It is becoming increasingly difficult for any trader to avoid the commission of an offence.