USES OF RADIO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22399, 21 April 1936, Page 11

USES OF RADIO

DROWNING "LANGUAGE" MAGISTRATE'S DEFINITION AN INFORMATION DISMISSED [FROM OUR OWN COHRESPONDKNT] PUKEKOHE. Monday "That is one of the uses of radio, to drown provocative language used by neighbours," said Mr. F. H. Levicn, S.M.. in the Pukekohe Police Court to-day. when John Raymond Geraghty (Mr. King), farmei, of Tuakau, appeared to answer an allegation of offensive behaviour in view of a public place. Evidence was given by Anthony A. W. Dromgool, farmer, of Tuakau, that bis resilience was about 50 feet from defendant's house. When reading on a Sunday afternoon, February 2;), he said, he saw Geraghty examining the boundary fence and peering at witness' woodheap. Geraghty obtained a slasher and entered witness' property. A knocking noise occurred and was probably caused by wood being thrown against witness' house. This upset his daughter. He and his daughter went outside and found Geraghty cutting grass and blackberry on witness' place, this having grown up through the woodheap. Witness said he asked Geraghty if ho knew he was trespassing, but he only received a muttered reply. Witness returned to his reading.

Continuing, witness said offensive and abusive language was used by defendant. He did not note the exact words.

Mr. Levicn: That is unfortunate, seeing you out for that express purpose.

Witness said that when he returned to his house he heard defendant speaking to someone. He turned on the radio so loud that he could not hear, otherwise he might have become exasperated. It was at 1 liis stage that the magistrate made his comment about the uses of radio.

Similar evidence was given by the previous witness' daughter, Lucy Cecilia Dromgool. She said she heard "language" used, but she would not repeat the words or write them down. The banging noise on the house upset her. Asked by the magistrate why she was frightened she replied that she did not know what would follow. Mr Levien said neither witness would tel! him what words formed the abusive language. Defendant cut blackberry growing on the boundary line, which was a service a lot of iieople would like to have performed. If it was a case of simple trespass, the parties uere not without remedy. "1 cannot draw any inference that the mkn behaved in an offensive manner," added the magistrate.

Tlie information was dismissed