ELEVEN CHARGES

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22677, 2 August 1945, Page 4

ELEVEN CHARGES

ILLEGAL USE OF HEATERS QUESTION OF PENALTIES Eleven prosecutions brought by the Hamilton Borough Council against persons charged with the use of radiators in the restricted period between 4 and 6 p.m. were | heard before Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Hamilton, today. During the sitting of the court the magistrate remarked that he found the penalties extraordinarily difficult to assess. They should be substantial in order to act, among other things a deterrent for carelessness. Some penalties might appear harsh but he endeavoured to assess them according to the individual circumstances of the case and the financial state of the defendant. All the defendants pleaded guilty. Andrew Haitly Burn, coal merchant, Victoria Street, was fined £2 for a breach committed on July 27. Mr A. H. Swarbrick, who appeared for the informant in each case, said the defendant had previously been warned. The inspector found the heater on at 4.35 p.m. the day after previous cases had been dealt with by the court. Defendant said a clerk in his office had inadvertently left the radiator on but he was taking the responsibility. He produced accounts to show that his consumption had been maintained at a low level in recent months. Previous Warnings Issued Previous warnings had been issued in the case of George Henry Jew, secretary, of Victoria Street, said Mr Swarbrick. An inspector found a radiator on in his office at 4.35 p.m. on July 23. Defendant said he had been absent throughout the day and had just entered the office when the inspector came in. He used little power. The magistrate, commenting on the fact that there had been previous warnings, fined him £5. Edna Mary Lewis, of the Juvenile Band Box, Garden Place, was fined £l, the inspector visiting the premises at 4.5 p.m. on July 5. It was described by Mr Swarbrick as not a very flagrant breach. Mr A. L. Tompkins, for defendant, said that an employee had failed to switch off the radiator before 4 p.m. as she was taking the time from the departure of a bus which on the day was running a few minutes behind schedule. Basil Law Montgomery, who appeared as president of the Hamilton Sub-centre of the Red Cross Society, j was ordered to pay costs. The offence occurred at the Red Cross shop in Garden Place on July 5 and defendant elected to assume the responsibility. Mr E. F. Clayton-Greene appeared for defendant and said the voluntary women workers at the shop had received no previous warnings. Ten Minutes Important “Ten minutes here and there over ithe whole town makes a big difference, especially with radiators,” remarked the magistrate when fining William Neech, of Nicholas and Company, Limited, Garden Place, £2. The evidence showed that the inspector had visited the premises 10 minutes after the beginning of the restricted period on July 24. The breach was an isolated one and defendant had always endeavoured to co-operate in the power saving campaign, said Mr C. F. Henry, appearing for Mathew Martin Shaw, of the Waikato Machinery Exchange. He was fined £l. James Charles Were, dress goods specialist, was fined £2. Mr A. L. Tompkins explained that the heater had been switched on solely for the purpose of making a room warmer while a women who had been suffering from influenza was present. Mr Swarbrick said there had been no previous breeches. A fine of £2 was imposed on Zillwood Motors, Limited. Mr Swarbrick said there had been no previous breaches. The heater was on at 4.26 p.m. on July 16. It was stated that the heater had been overlooked on the day. Pleading guilty by letter, Leslie Owen Edmondson admitted an offence detected by an inspector at 4.27 p.m. one afternoon. The magistrate remarked that defendant said he had been away from Hamilton on the day in question and fined him £l. Care in Reducing Consumption A. M. Bisley and Company, Limited, of Ward Street, was fined £2. Mr Swarbrick said a heater was I found on in the office at 4.18 p.m. I one afternoon. Mr Tompkins told the court that the defendant firm had taken much care in reducing consumption on the premises. A similar fine was imposed on Hallenj stein Brothers, Victoria Street. Mr I Swarbrick said two warnings had been issued to the firm in 1942 when there was a different manager. I For using electricity in a shop win- | dow during hours in which it is not permissable Mary Hassan, beauty ! specialist, of Hamilton East, was j fined £3. Mr Swarbrick said the ! offence occurred on the morning of Saturday, July 14. Defendant said the lighting had been switched on accidentally by one of her assistants.