A RAILWAY INCIDENT

Waipa Post, Volume 39, Issue 3087, 10 December 1929, Page 5

A RAILWAY INCIDENT

INTERFERING WITH THE BRAKES. A YOUNG MAN FINED. Messrs G. A. Empson and W. Swain, Justices of the Peace, presided at a short sitting of the Police Court, held at Te Awamutu yesterday morning, when Norman Stewart Ward was charged (1) With drunkenness, (2) with trespassing on railway premises and (3) with interfering with the gear on the running railways. Constable J. Forsyth explained that on the night of August 31st last, two men were found on the railway station in a drunken state and were warned to leave. They did not. do so, with the result that one was arrested and had already been dealt with by the Court. The other disappeared and the Police had had considerable difficulty in locating him, despite the help of the other man in that direction. Evidence was given to prove the charges, two railway officials stating that both men were in a drunken state and had been ordered to leave the premises. In regard to Ward, he had been seen in the vicinity of a. goods train, it being found subsequently that four taps connected with the Westinghouse brake system had been interfered with, so much So that the train could not start till the trouble had been rectified. / The accused, by letter, admitted the . first offence, but denied the latter two charges. The Benrch fined accused 10s and £1 and costs (10s) in default 14 days’ imprisonment for trespass, while on the third charge, which they regarded as serious on account of it being a menace to the safe working of the trains, a fine of £4 and costs (10s) was inflicted, in default of payment one month’s imprisonment.