DUMPED IT OVERBOARD

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10537, 13 March 1920, Page 8

DUMPED IT OVERBOARD

SHIP'S OFFICER ANGRY WITS TELEPHONE!. An officer of a ship which is being refitted at the Auckland wharf came before Mr J. E. Wilson, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court, Auckland, this week, and admitted having interfered with the working of a Government telephone which Hod been installed on the ship by cutting the wires and throwing the tele, phone overboard. Chief-Detective Me-.n-.wii stated that the offence was one for which the accused, William H. Ormsbv (JO), was liable to a fine of .£IOO or twelve months’ imprisonment, hut tIM circumstances, though unusual, were not of an aggravated nature. Accused wa« second officer on the ship, on which a Large number of workmen were employed, and on which the telephone was consequently of great value. Last Thur*. day evening Ormsby had a few drinks in town, and rang up the ship several times in order to get in touch with the chief officer, but could get no reply. When he returned to the boat he was so disgusted with the failure of the 'phone that ha dumped it overboard. It was not until the bos was washed up at Devonport that the case was recognised as one of mischief, and Detective Gourley then located the offender. On. accused’s behalf Mr V. Meredith stated that Ormsby was in reality a very abstemious man, but on this occasion ho had just received notice of having got through his examination, which entitled him to his ticket, and he celebrated the event to some extent. It was a combination of the unusual drink and of exasperation at the failure of the 'phone that caused the man’s foolish act of mischief. His Worship inflicted a fine of JBIG am) ordered the payment in addition of .£5 the value of the telephone. Later the police dredged the telephonl out of the harbour with a drag-net.