TAMPERING ALLEGED.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19100, 10 November 1933, Page 7

TAMPERING ALLEGED.

• ELECTRIC POWER OHARGES. . TWO MEN FINED. (Special to Times.) TE AROHA, Thursday. At the Te Aroha Magistrate’s Court to-day Fred Gillett, of Waihi, was charged on the information of tho Thames Valley Power Board that on October 19 he fraudulently abstracted electricity, the property of the board, and also that being a person other than a licensee he tampered with electrical apparatus. A. H. Blackmore was similarly charged. Mr G. Gilchrist prosecuted and Mr J. B. Beeche appeared for defendant. For the prosecution it was stated that defendant had interfered with the meter connected with the water heaters In the shed, and the tampering with the electrical apparatus after being found by the board's troublemen had been duly reported. R. Sprague, Power Board manager, gave evidence in regard to the difference In the period accounts rendered to defendant. The board’s inspectors were in the position to know the approximate amount of electrioity used with the 14 h.p. motors and the number of gallons of water heated in a given time. H. Wrigley said he had visited the milking shed and found certain irregularities in the apparatus. He enquired from one of the men the quantity of water being used. Mr Beeche said that on Blackmore’s part there had been no attempt to defraud, but he had accepted responsibility for any action by his men. Blackmore had been of the opinion that he should pay for water heating under the flat rate. Counsel wished to point .out to the Court the high repute in'which Blackmore was held In the district. The cases for fraudulent abstraction were dismissed. On the charges of tampering, Blackmore was fined £7 10s and costs £2 7s, Gillett being fined £2 10s with costs £1 11s.