BROKEN INSULATORS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4772, 5 November 1924, Page 2

BROKEN INSULATORS.

WARNING TO ROYS. A SERIOUS OFFENCE. rhe Thames Valley Electric Power Board has suffered expense and annoyance through boys breaking insulators in this district. No fewer than 41 have been broken on the section running through Mackaytown. Last month a further ten 11,000-volt insulators were broken at Mackaytown oy youths throwing stones and using pearifles, according to the manager of the Power Board. . Information was given to the police, and three youths residing at Mackaytown admitted breaking some of the insulators with stones.

At the Paeroa Court on Monday, before Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M., three boys, whose ages ranged from eleven to fourteen, were charged with breaking ten insulators valued at £5, the property of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board, on Rahu Road. Two of the boys admitted breaking five insulators valued at £2 10s, and they were ordered to pay the cost of the damage done, plus 12s court costs each.

The third boy pleaded guilty to throwing stones, but stated that he had not hit any insulators. He was ordered to pay court, casts, 12s. The Magistrate drew the attentionof the boys to the iseriousness of their actions The practice of throwing stones and damaging public or private property must cease. Only recently he had been called to an inquest which had been caused by a death through a broken insulator. The practice of stone-throwing was a dangerous one, and one that might easily have far-reaching and disastrous effects. Any complaints of similar damage being done in the future would be seriously dealt with. Another boy, aged 14 pleaded guilty to breaking a telegraph line insulator in the Karangahake Gorge, and he was also ordered to pay for the damage done and court costs amounting to 12s.