INSULATORS BROKEN

Taranaki Daily News, 9 March 1932, Page 8

INSULATORS BROKEN

TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT’S LOSS.

BOYS WARNED; PARENTS FINED.

In recent months a heavy loss has been suffered by the Telegraph Department as the result of small boys breaking telephone insulators with stones. At Hawera the losses have amounted to £2O and at Stratford to about £5, and within the past few months 132 insulators were broken in the Eltham district.

This is a practice the Telegraph Department has determined to stop, and yesterday eight boys, accompanied by their fathers, were brought before the children’s court at Eltham and charged with the offences.

The magistrate pointed out the seriousness of the offences not only in regard to the damage to the insulators but the possible consequences in the event of the telephone being required for a case of urgency. He asked the boys what they would think of themselves if someone had met with an accident and owing to the telephone line being out of order as the result of broken insulators no message could be put through to a doctor. It was a serious responsibility towards human life for boys to break telephone insulators, and the magistrate impressed upon the parents that in future heavy fines would fall upon them. Breaches of this section of the Act carried fines up to £2O for each offence, and if it were necessary to inflict heavy fines to stamp out the practice they would unhesitatingly be imposed. It was for parents to control their boys against this offence; otherwise they would have to pay dearly. They were liable to a fine of £2O, but in. these cases he would treat them very leniently and the fines would be much smaller. The magistrate issued a warning that in future offenders could not expect to be let off lightly. STRATFORD PRIMARY EVENT. LARGE ENTRIES AND KEEN RACES The annual swimming sports of the Stratford Primary School were held in the baths yesterday, the girls’ events being decided in the morning and the boys’ in the afternoon. The weather was ideal and the water was warm. Large 'entries were received but the members of the staff who acted as officials had evolved a system, that dealt efficiently with the programmes, which were disposed of to schedule. Not a competitor failed to have his or her supporters and excitement waxed high throughout the day. The standard displayed by the children was high. The girls’ championship competition for the Parents’ Cup resulted: Thelma Skellern (9 points) 1, Dorothy Nowell (7) 2, Eileen Callaghan (5) 3. The boys’ championship resulted: D. Coleman (12) 1. R. Masters (10) 2, L. Reader (6) 3. Officials for the girls were: Starter, Mr. L. J. Furrie; judges, Misses L. V. Finlay and N. Brown; secretary, Miss A. Gernhoefer. Officials for the boys were; Starter, Mr. L. J. Furrie; marksman, Mr. Tunnicliffe; results, Mr. R. L. Hancock; judges, Messrs M. Morrison and Hancock, Miss Callaghan. Results are:— GIRLS’ EVENTS. 25 yards championship:—First heat: T. Skellern 1, M. Gordon-Stabies 2, V. Knight 3. Second heat: D. Nowell 1, S. McCready 2, E. Callaghan 3. Final: Dorothy Nowell 1, Thelma Skellern 2, Mary Gordon-Stabies 3; time, 23 1-5 sec. "" Walking race: First heat: Joan Porter 1, Noreen Foley 2. Second heat: Beryl Letford 1, Noleen Phillips 2. Third heat: Eva Trotter 1, Barbara Williams 2. Fourth heat: Zelma Burgesu 1, ColleerL Kelly 2. Final: Noreen Foley 1, Barbara Williams 2, Eva Trotter 3. 25 yards handicap:—First'heat: Nellie Aitken 1, Davy Bird 2. Second heat: Betty Bishop 1, Pat Condy 2. Third heat; Nola Bradshaw 1, Dorothy Carryer 2. Fourth heat: May Reader 1. Final: Betty Bishop 1, Nellie Aitken 2, Dorothy Carryer 3; time, 28sec. Beginners’ B, 10 yards: Thelma Granton 1, Ray Hathaway 2, Elsie Pe' jrsen 3. Beginners A, 25 yards;-AFirst heat: Betty Voght 1, Audrey Dickinson 2. Time, 33sec. Second heat: Phyllis Lee 1, Sylvia Kingsbeer 2; time, 31sec. Third heat: Joan Cold well 1, Jean McKay 2; time, 35sec. Final: Betty Voght 1, Phyllis Lee 2, Joan Coldwell 3; time, 31scc.

50 yards championship: —First heat: Thelma Skellern 1, Mary Gordon-Stabies 2, Rae Webby 3; time, 54sec. S rond heat: Dorothy Nowell 1, Sybil McCready 2, Violet Knight 3; time, 59sec. Final: Thelma Skellern 1, Sybil McCready 2, Dorothy Nowell 3; time, 54sec. Relay race: Standard VI 1, -tandard V 2, standard IV 3.

50 yards handicap: Gwen Whittlestone 1, Joyce Voght 2; time, Imin 28sec. 25 yards breaststroke <hampi nship:— First heat: Thelma Skellern 1, Violet Knight 2, Dorothy Nowell 3; dime, 29 sec. Second heat: Eileen Callaghan I, Rae Webby 2, Nellie Baker 3; time, 27sec. Final: Eileen Callaghan 1, Thelma Skellern 2, Dorothy Nowell 3; time, 28sec. Block race; Gwen Whittlestone 1, Pat Condy 1 2, Betty Bishop 3. Diving for brick: Thelma Skellern 1, Betty Voght 2, Dorothy Nowell 3. Most graceful swimmer: Eileen Callaghan, Nellie Baker, Thelma Skellern equal 1. Neatest header: Nellie Baker 1, Eileen Callaghan and Dorothy Nowell equal 2, Thelma Skellern 4. Plunge: Alary Gordon-Stables 1, Rae Webby 2, Thelma Skellern 3. | BOYS’ EVENTS. 25 yards senior championship: First heat: D. Coleman 1, L. Reader 2, N. Turnbull 3. Second heat: R. Alasters 1, N. Baker 2, O. Alasters 3. Final: Coleman 1, Masters 2, Reader 3; time, 19 l-ssec. Walk A:—First heat: C. Ranford 1, A. Aloore 2, A. Rogers 3. Second heat: E. Knight 1, H. Buckley 2, A. Valiis 3. Final: Knight 1, Valiis 2, Rogers 3. Learners’ 10 yards:—First heat; C. Ranford 1, A. Adams 2, C. Copestake | 3. Second heat: A. Anderson 1, N. Hartwig 2, H. Witt. 3. Third heat: I. Johnson 1, H. Buckley 2, R. Gordon 3. Final: Johnson 1, Adams 2, Buckley 3. 50 yards senior championship:—First heat: D. Coleman 1, L. Reader N. Turnbull 3. Second heat: R. Masters 1, O. Alasters 2, N. Baker 3. Final: Coleman I, R. Alasters 2, Reader 3; time, 4Gsec.

Learners’ 20 yards: —First heat: J. Clements 1, R. Ward 2, J. Gordon and D. Cleaver 3. Second heat: R. Rowe

1, R. Crab 2, Leonard 3. Final: Leonard 1, Crab 2, Rowe 3. Walk B:—First heat: N. Ritter 1, L. Stavely 2, A. Wallace 3. Second heat: K. Knight 1, O. Phillips 2, J. Tunnicliffe 3. Third heat: R. Brown 1, Foley 2, R. Watson 3. Fourth heat: K. Stables 1, N. Ranford 2, N. Blanchard 3. Fifth heat: 0. Jordan 1, 1. MacGregor 2, D. Kelly 3. Final: Knight 1, Stables 2, Phillips 3. . J 25 yards handicap:—First heat: R. White 1, A. Pettigrew 2, T. Greaves 3. Second heat: D. Turnbull 1, B. Rove 2, G. Reynolds 3. Third heat: D. Lilley 1, J. Wellington 2, J. Clements 3. Final: Wellington 1, Lilley 2, Turnbull 3, 25 yards breaststroke senior championship:—(First heat: D. Coleman 1, L. Reader 2, N. Turnbull 3. Second heat: R. Masters 1, O. Masters 2. Final: Coleman 1, R. Masters 2,' Reader 3; time, 26sec. Plunge championship: D. Coleman 30ft Ilin 1, L. Reader 30ft sin 2, R. Masters 26ft 2in 3. , Plate diving: Reader (6) 1, Ross (5) 2, Turnbull (4) 3. Diving, senior championship: R. Masters 1, N. Baker 2, L. Reader 3. Block race: Coleman 1, Pettigrew 2, O. Masters 3. Class relay: Standard 6 1, standard 4 2, standard 5 3.