WANGANUI FIRM IS FINED FOR PRINTING UNAUTHORISED CARD

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6851, 5 March 1929, Page 5

WANGANUI FIRM IS FINED FOR PRINTING UNAUTHORISED CARD

PROFITABLE PROTEST, “Times” Special. WANGANUI, Last Night. An unofficial programme for the second day’s racing on February 16 of the Wanganui Jockey Club’s meeting, figured in a prosecution brought before Mr. J. H. Salmond, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court to-day. , Alfred Archibald Willis was charged that on February 15 he printed a document purporting to be a programme of the Wanganui Jockey Club race meeting, without having an expressed license from the club. The case was conducted by Detective Walsh and Mr. V. B. Willis appeared for the defendant. For some years, stated Detective Walsh, the defendant’s firga had been the successful tenderers for the club’s printing. Tenders were called outside Wanganui for the programme for tho recent meeting and a Palmerston North firm tendered. There was a considerable discrepancy between the prices. The club took the business out oE Wanganui and gave it to Palmerston. The defendant’s firm retaliated by printing a programme of the second day’s Tacing. This was sold on February 15 and the following morning for 6d. Many thousands were sold and this made a considerable difference to the finances of the club. What the defendants had done in the matter, said counsel, had been done quite openly. They had not attempted in any shape or form to cover up their tracks. On the contrary, they had given the police every assistance within their power. They freely and frankly admitted the facts. The programme was clearly and definitely marked ‘' unofficial' 1 and no attempt whatsoever was made to indicate to the public that the programme was printed by authority of the Club. Meticulous care was taken to warn the public against a possible alteration by the club in the numbers of the horses on the official programme by a re-shuffling of the numbers of those horses which carried identical weights. It was tho defendonts’ object to serve the member* of the public by supplying them at the reasonable price of 6d with an unofficial programme of important and eagerly sought for information concerning the second day’s racing of the recent meeting, which in an official manner could not be supplied by the club until after a delay of from some 12 to IS hours.

“I wish to emphasise this point with all the force of which I am capable,” went on Mr. Willis. “They consider they were discharging a public duty in forcibly and in an arresting manner, bringing before the business community of Wanganui and citizens generally the extraordinary conduct of the committee of the club.”

“I can see that a firm might make .a great amount of money out of this practice,” said the Magistrate, “and It might pay a firm to break the law in order to publish such a programme. I do not suggest that a firm such as this would do anything deliberately in breach of the law. The fact remains that a breach is committed and as far as Wanganui is concerned, it is the first offence and a nominal fine will be imposed.”

, The defendant was fined £3, with 10s costs.