WILFUL DAMAGE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 434, 15 May 1937, Page 6

WILFUL DAMAGE

Unusual Case At Blenheim Press Association,—Copyright. Blenheim, May 14. Acting under a sense of grievance against the Blenheim Borough Council, David Smart, a horse trainer, engaged A. M. Hammond, a labourer, to uncover a borough sewer,, which they broke and blocked with a bag of bran. As a result. Smart and Hammond were charged in the Magis. trace’s Court with causing wilful damage. The seriousness of . the offence was stressed by the borough solicitor, who stated that the charge, could have been laid under a section providing for a penalty of three years’ imprisonment and a fine of £5OO. Counsel for the defence explained that Smart resented the council installing the sewer on. a property of which he had some form of tease without! hie permission,. His resentment was increased when racehorses were allegedly poisoned, through, eating clay thrown out of the sewer excavation and the council refusei.' to recognise any claim for compensation. Mr Maunsell fined Smart £5 and convid-ed and discharged Hammond.