FINED £20

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3277, 18 June 1943, Page 5

FINED £20

UNREGISTERED WIREMAN FAULTY INSTALLATIONS COMMENT BY THE MAGISTRATE Appearing in the Te Aroha Magistrate's Court recently before Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., Ronald James Miller pleaded guilty to four charges of having made electrical connections while not being a registered wireman or the holder of a provisional licence. The informant was Percy Harold Gwynn, Registrar of Electrical Wiremen, Wellington (Mr G. Gilchrist). Defendant was represented by Mr J. G. Foy. The regulations relating to the offence were quoted by Mr Gilchrist, and it was stated that Miller was a serviceman formerly employed by the Thames Valley Electric Power Board. He had sat for his wireman’s examinations several times but while passing the practical test had failed in the theoretical part of the work. He had carried out, unauthorised, a number of wiring connections. According to reports received in the power board’s office these installations had ’been defective. , Counsel submitted that the Act stated that wiremen must be registered. Position Difficult Entering a plea of guilty on behalf of his client, Mr Foy said that the position in country districts was difficult. Defendant had acceded to requests for help from a number of

people. He was hot an amateur, having served a five-year apprenticesnip and done wiring work of a similar nature. He had passed the practical portion of the wiremen’s examination. In respect to two of the jobs he had received no - payment for materials anef a small amount for his labour. Defendant understood the seriousness of the charges he faced, and in

an endeavour to make amends had paid a private contractor to go over the work and complete it to the satisfaction of an inspector. He believed he would be entering the armed forces shortly. In this case his earning power- would be much less than it had been as a civilian. Law Must Be Observed His Worship: Many cases of this nature come before the courts and they are all. serious. Electricity is a dangerous thing to play around with and I must fix a sufficient penalty to be a deterrent to others. If defendant enters the forces machinery for review of such cases can be used. ■Conviction was then ordered with a fine of £5 on each of the four charges, and costs totalling £6 4s.