UNLICENSED WIRELESS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 79, 6 July 1916, Page 7

UNLICENSED WIRELESS.

YOUTHFUL EXPERIMENTER PROSECUTED.

Gisborno, July 1. Per Press Association, An interesting case was before the Magistrate to-day when a boy of sixtern years, named Ercil Mervyn Goffe, was charged with erecting a wireless plant without the consent of the Gov* ernment. Arising out of the same matter, William Edward Goffc, father 3 f the Von, was charged that between January and .hine, 1916, he did aid his sou In committing the above offence. Mr J. •'• Ki '' k «?P° urcd for the defence. Evidence, was caller! swing that blic plant, if properly fitted UP, could send messages a short distance and -jould receive from Auckland and Wellington. For the defence Mr Kirk said the .(fence whs admitted as far as the technical breach, was concerned, and lefendants regretted the matter and T.ive iin assurance tliat the machine was quite incapable of receiving or transmitting any message. The boy would say he never sent or received any messages. With the necessary crystals it might have been possible to receive from a short distance, but not without them, and crystals were quite unprocurable. The detective had not said (and it was well all,/ facts diould come out) that there had been complaints from shipping masters about having trouble through their apparatus being interrupted by some station on shore. They did not sugrest these machines had been capable )f doing any more tliau interrupt a , ship's plant. This was not the only wireless plant tint had been in GisbOrne, but all the others had been dismantled as a result of this case. It would be amply demonstrated that this machine did not interfere with

shipping. Mr Barton, S.M., alter hearing evidence for the defence, which showed that the plant was probably quite useless, said the junior defendant would ! >3 fined £2 and costs 7s, and the father, would be fined £lO and costs 7s. "1 would like it understood," idded Mr Barton, "that I do not believe there -was- an attempt to make improper jise'ofi ; the: instrument. I don't, tlimjjj <so for''a-moment. The mistake m|l*i wasijfiliat proper authority was ndtuobtained before going to work." ! -nf■i.',ii , '-i'» •