VIA WIRELESS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 85, 14 August 1913, Page 6

VIA WIRELESS.

A BOY’S STATION. [Per Press Association.] Hastings, August Pi. A case of considerable interest was heard in the Court this morning, when Eric H. Pattershill was charged that on June I lie did establish a plant for the purpose of receiving communication by wireless telegraphy, without having obtained the consent of the Post-master-General. Defendant was represented by Mr I). Scanned, and pleaded guilty. Mr H. A. Cornford, who prosecuted on behalf of the Crown, said that some time in June last, a fault was detected in the felegrapn wires at Hastings, and on a linesman investigating, it was found that a wireless apparatus had been installed by the defendant, w ho was a High School boy, for the prosecution of his study of electricity. There was a com-

plete apparatus for receiving' wireless messages from places within a thirty miles radius, not so arranged as to be able to reply, but for the purpose of receiving. It was a. perfect apparatus. Defendant was liable to a penalty of £SOO. it was a matter of great

importance, insomuch as w hat the boy was doing for his own instruction might be done by persons of great intelligence for reasons serious to the country and the Empire, by the iu-

terception of wireless messages from overseas. The danger of such plants was that they might produce results of the utmost gravity, and it would be advisable for the State to make public the penalty. Mr Scanned said the defendant was a Xapier High School hoy, and part of his ordinary education had to do with electricity. It had been said that it was possible for the apparatus to do harm to the State, but he could not see what harm could happen if permission was given to use the apparatus within a radius of thirty

miles. A mountain was being made out of a molehill. In Australia perrnisison was given, and it was difficult to understand why it was not given in Xew Zealand. The Statute only served to stultify the boys’ talent. Boys took an interest in this important development, hut were ordered by rhe State to withdraw, and in this respect Xew Zealand was hide-bound as no other country was. Counsel desired attention to bo drawn to the matter, so that what was wrong from a moral point of view‘might be remedied. The lad would how to the derision of the authorities and have the apparatus dismantied.

The magistrate said that the law was there and had to be obeyed. There

was something to be said in favor of the Statute. For instance, in a case where a message of a vital character was being transmitted, not only be--0 j 1 ; f . { , <1 j ... tween one Department of State afid another, but containing private information. If this was intercepted harm could be done. That was the reason for the passing of the Act. Defendant had promised not to use the apparatus again, and he would he convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. The < buf had been encouraged bv his teachers, and no or- ‘ I ; . J f )TH dor for costs would he made. , 1 . ■ ')• u