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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier Saturday 05 Jun 1937
Page 6 Column 6
LANGPORT PETTY SESSIONS
POLICE WARNING TO CYCLISTS
KINGSDON FARMER AND UNBURIED SHEEP
A WIRELESS LICENCE MISTAKE
MONDAY. - Before Mr. T. WATSON (in the chair), Messrs. R. W. PRETOR-PINNEY and J. LANG, and Miss L. M. REYNOLDS.
LICENSING.
The license of the Bell Hotel, Curry Rivel, was transferred to Mrs. Priscilla Kathleen BAKER.
Extension of hours were granted Mr. J. BULL, of the Greyhound Hotel, Charlton Mackrell, on June 5th for the British Legion sports, and Mr. G. A. HILLARY, of the Langport Arms Hotel, Langport, on July 14th for the British Legion carnival dance.
EXCESSIVE SPEED.
Fines for excessive speed were imposed as follows:- Arthur Leonard BAGWELL (lorry driver), 1, Higher Bullen, Stoford, 10s; Charles Herbert SHORTMAN (lorry driver), 12, Green Park-road, Southmead, Bristol, £1 (two previous convictions); Francis Arthur HOLT (lorry driver), 4, Park Row, Park-street, Yeovil, £1.
“HALT” SIGNS.
The following fines were inflicted for failing to conform with traffic “halt” signs:- Wilhelm Fredrich KAFTON (independent means), “The Punch Bowl,” Shady BOWER, Salisbury, 10s; Reginald Cooper HIRST (valuer), Cornish Farm, Shoreditch, 10s; Ivor John COOKSLEY (lorry driver), Pitney, 10s.
STRAYING CATTLE.
Elizabeth INDER (licensed victualler), King's Head Inn, High Ham, wrote pleading guilty to allowing two yearlings and one heifer to stray on the highway at High Ham on May 8th.
P.C. STANDEN (Huish Episcopi) said when approached defendant said she was not aware the animals were out. The fence consisted of two loose bars, and it appeared the animals had been straying for some time.
In a letter to the Court Mrs. INDER explained that it was a hot day, and she daresay the flies attacked the animals.
She was fined 7s, including costs.
“A DANGEROUS PRACTICE.”
During the hearing of cases where defendants were summoned for riding bicycles without lights, Supt. R. DUNSTER said he had received a letter from the Home Office on the subject, drawing attention to the number of deaths on the roads attributable to bicycles without lights or without white surfaces at the rear. “It is a dangerous practice and causes a lot of deaths.” he added
Fines of 5s were imposed on George Stanley DAVIS (farm labourer), Hillview Farm, Fivehead, and Harry Warren Eric HOLE (aircraft fitter), 24, Council Houses, Nibley, Yate, Gloucester.
SUNDAY INTERVENED.
Thomas LERWELL (farmer), Springfield Farm, Kingsdon, pleaded guilty to permitting the carcass of a sheep to remain in a field to which dogs could gain access in the parish of Kingsdon on April 19th. Defendant was represented by Mr. F. G. BRADFORD (Messrs. WATTS, MOORE & BRADFORD, Yeovil).
P.C. BUNDY (Long Sutton) stated that the carcass was lying in a field at the top of Kingsdon-hill, and it appeared to him it had been there some time. Defendant told him he found the dead sheep on Saturday evening when it was getting dark. He pulled the carcass near the hedge and intended to bury it later. Sunday intervened and on the Monday he had attended market. He promised to bury the carcass directly after dinner. Witness visited the spot later and found defendant had carried out his promise.
Mr. BRADFORD explained that it was rather difficult to get a man to bury the sheep on the Sunday, but as soon as he was able, after market on the Monday, the defendant buried it. He could assure the Bench it was touched by a dog.
The case was dismissed on payment of costs, 4s.
A WRONG IMPRESSION.
Wilfred Cyril WINTER (bricklayer), Little-moor House, Pibsbury, was fined 10s for permitting a stationary motor-car to remain on a road without lights at 9.45p.m. on May 1st in the parish of Curry Rivel.
P.C. BATESON (Curry Rivel) said defendant told him he though the car was standing on private property.
Details of previous convictions were given by Supt. DUNSTER.
Defendant wrote stating that he did not think he was committing an offence, as he thought the car was standing on private property. “Had my car been on the high-way,” the letter added, “I can assure you this would not have happened.”
REFUSED TO SWITCH ON.
Summoned for riding a motor-cycle without a rear light, Alec Robert PURCHASE (mechanic), Dolphin Inn, Langport, pleaded not guilty.
The facts were stated by P.C. WAITE (Langport), who said in spite of repeated requests defendant refused to switch on his lights after having pulled into the Dolphin Inn yard.
Defendant said when he left Curry Rivel the rear light was burning. The constable only had about five yards in which to see if the light was in order or not. He refused to switch on the lights because of the manner in which the constable asked him. He used the motor-cycle the following evening, when the rear light was quite all right.
Supt.
DUNSTER: Why didn't you switch on your lights when the constable
asked you? -
Defendant: Because of the manner in which he asked
me. He asked me in rather a commandeering way.
You thought you would defy him. It was a matter of defiance, was it not? - No
He was fined 5s.
NO WIRELESS LICENCE.
Richard Thomas MALE, Wagg Drove, Huish Episcopi, was summoned by Albert Hyde VEYSEY, Post-office official, Taunton, for unlawfully working an apparatus for wireless telegraphy without a licence between 6th November 1936, and 17th March, 1937.
Mr. VEYSEY said, in company with an engineering officer, he called at the home of the defendant on March 16th, and asked if a wireless set was installed on the premises. Defendant replied “Yes,” but could not produce a licence. Defendant said he procured the set before Christmas, worked it during the Christmas and on several occasions since. When told he would be reported he said he proposed to take out a licence immediately.
Defendant wrote asking to be excused attendance at Court in view of the fact that after a long spell of unemployment, he had just started work. He added that he was under the impression it was not necessary to take out a licence until the set had been working three months. On being informed that this was wrong he immediately took out a licence at Langport Post-office. He challenged the dates in the summons, stating that the set was purchased on December 24th, before which time he had no wireless. He pleaded for leniency on the ground that this was his first offence and that he was a married man with five children.
Mr. VEYSEY said a licence was taken out on March 24th.
A fine of 10s, including costs, was imposed.