Illegal Building Of Motor Camp Canteen

Northern Advocate, 26 April 1947, Page 5

Illegal Building Of Motor Camp Canteen

(SpeciaP. KAIKOHE, This Day. Described by prosecuting counsel (Mr H. F. Guy) as the first such case to have been brought before the courts in this area, a charge was heard before Mr W. C. Harley, S.M., in the Kaikohe Court, regarding the erection of a non-residential building without a permit from the building controller. The charge was brought by the building controller’s representative (Mr K. W. Rawlings) against James R. Hamilton, of Paihia, and related to his construction of a combined canteen and dairy at his motor camp in Paihia, No local body permit was required for the structure.

Hamilton pleaded guilty, but explained that he had built the canteendairy of hollowstone blocks, with malthoid roofing, which he had often seen advertised for sale and which could be bought at hardware stores without permit. He had not .thought there was anything wrong in using these materials. Mr Guy said the building inspectors had been busy in the main centres until recently, but on their first trip round the North were amazed at the amount of unauthorised building going on. He understood that regulations were now being considered to provide for demolition orders through the courts where unauthorised building was proved. The magistrate considered Hamilton’s story a reasonable one, but convicted and fined him £l, court costs being £l/0/6.

OTHER CASES HEARD Max Russell Watt, farmer and contractor, of Kaikohe, pleaded guilty to removing without authority, which must be secured from Wellington, a tarpaulin from the Kaikohe railway yards. It was showery at the time. Value of the tarpaulin was given at £9/0/6. Mr Guy represented accused, who was fined £2, with 10/- costs. Mike Ashby and John Brown, of Oromahoe, were charged with aiding in unlawful supply of liquor to a native at Ohaeawai on Marcn 3. Ashby was fined £l, but Brown, for whom it was a second offence, was fined £4. Riding cycles without lights in Kaikohe brought Martin Waetford, Henry Dargaville and Cecil Te Whiu into court. Each was fined 10/-, costs being 10/- for Waetford and Dargaville, 11/- for Te Whiu. Each offence was committed on a separate date. The day before the magistrate’s court sitting, Messrs J. J. Bedggood and W. Stewart, JPs, heard a charge of conversion of a motor truck against Hone Matthews, 29, of Pakotai. Pleading guilty, Matthews was fined £5, being given a month in which to pay. The truck, which was valued at £450, was the property of Harold Donald Sanderson, of Whangarei. It was removed at Whangarei on March 29.