WITHOUT A PERMIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 13 April 1945, Page 5

WITHOUT A PERMIT

> PLUMBER FINED £3 e •s For doing certain plumbing work o in a house without a permit Thomas l- C. Reid (Mr M. Ott) was fined £3 and 10s costs, and ordered to pay ~ solicitor’s fee £1 Is, in the Magis--11 trate’s Court this morning. The case was heard by Mr T. E. Maunsell, r S.M., and the prosecution was laid by the City Council (Mr W. V. - Fletcher). 2 Defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of connecting a bath and sunD dry other appliances of a domestic purpose indirectly to a drain upon 8 the premises of Muriel Violet Hoby, Collingwood street, without making ” prior application for a permit. Mr Fletcher said that on 22nd r j March, application having been made 3 | for an additional gas heater for prer | mises the inspector went to ascerB I tain what it was required for. He • ! found that certain plumbing work 3 j had been put in and connected with the drain without a permit having j 1 been applied for. Defendant was a e ; licensed plumber and drainlayer 3 1 with a full knowledge of the require- . ments. Defendant in excuse said . that he had made application and it . I was in the post. An anph'cation was ? received next day dated 21st March. l The City Council viewed this as a \ very serious matter and asked for ,’ a substantial penalty. The maximum penalty was £5. 1 j Mr Ott said that on 21st defendant j had made out an application and had r '■ left it in his office to be delivered to i the City Council There was apparI ently a practice in Nelson of urgent . work being done by plumbers and ap- . plication being lodged afterwards. Tne Magistrate commented that it made it rath? a farce. Would counsel ; say the fcjlew uas being winked at? i Mr Ott sen! he understood that it was, ! for ui gent work I Mr Fletcher icplied that that was so only in the event of extreme cases where there was a danger to health. Defendant was fined the .amount stated.