Wallace Gordon Clark, 1918
Below also see: Wallace Gordon Clark, 1923 – Indecent exposure,
Wallace Gordon Clark, 1932 – Indecent exposure
The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate, Sat 23 Feb 1918 1
CADETS PLAY UP.
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Making a Farce of the Parade.
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Numerous Summonses Out
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Clarence Kelly, a youth, residing ,at Smithfield, pleaded not guilty at the Liverpool court to a charge of letting off fire works in Harris Street, Fairfield.
Constable Copas stated that at 5.45 pm on February 4th there was a cadet parade at Fairfield. A lot of disorderly conduct took place among the lads. The night was dark, and, as there are no lamps in the Fairfield streets, the officer in charge, Captain Guyot, asked for a hurricane lantern, but as soon as one was brought it was kicked over and smashed to pieces by the boys, who used it as a football. A lot of fireworks were let off and thrown at the officer, and other disorderly conduct took place. Witness walked up to the ranks and noticed defendant in the act of lighting a cracker. Said to him, “Don’t you know it’s an offence to let off crackers in the public streets?” Kelly said, “They were throwing them at us.”
Mr Clegg: In reality making a farce of their parade?
Constable Copas: Yes. A dozen summonses have been issued against the boys, and more are to follow. They are getting beyond their officer, your Worship.
Defendant [Clarence] Kelly said he resided at Smithfield, and was at present out of employment. At the parade he dropped a box of matches, and struck one to find them. Mr Copas thought he was lighting a cracker, but he did not throw one. He did not think it any harm to throw a cracker. He denied saying this to the constable. He dropped the matches, and struck one to find the others. He smoked cigarettes.
Wallace Gordon Clark, 2 a shock-headed youth from Woodpark-road, Smithfield, said at the parade he was talking to Kelly, when the constable came up and said, “What are you throwing crackers for?” Witness did not see Kelly throw any. “Clarence” had a lighted match in his hand. It was the members of another platoon who shot a packet of crackers among them. None were thrown back by his platoon, which had the best record among the cadets. He did not hear what Constable Copas said to Kelly as he took him away from the ranks.
Kelly (recalled) was asked by the magistrate why he did not call the constable’s attention to the matches on the ground that he was picking up. Witness made no reply.
Constable Copas said, in reply to a question from the Bench, that he saw Kelly distinctly light a cracker. He had no doubt about it.
Mr Clegg: Is this lad one of the offenders who played up?
Constable Copas said most of the boys were behaving in a disorderly manner.
Mr Clegg said he would give the boy the benefit of the doubt, and fine him 20s with 6s costs of court; in default, 14 days. He had a good mind to inflict the full penalty of 40s.
Constable Copas informed the magistrate that the whole of the summons cases were to be heard at Parramatta, although Liverpool Court was the closest.
Wallace Gordon Clark, 1923
The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate, Sat 11 Aug 1923 3
YOUNGER PRESSMEN’S TRIBUTE.
(By E.F.O.)
By the death of Mr G[eorge] B Davey, the younger pressmen working in this district have sustained an irreparable loss. Measured in years, our acquaintance with him was of brief duration. Yet our memory of hin will remain ineffaceable until we, too, lay aside our pen at the stern decree of the Grim Reaper. He was to us a friend and father—a staff upon whom, in the moment of difficulty, we could ever rely. If, in the vast store of his experience and knowledge, there was anything we sought, he gave it freely and gladly. He knew the pitfalls waiting to ensnare the youthful traveller along the Inky Way, and, in his quiet, unassuming way, he endeavoured to guide our steps along the safest track. Severe with himself, yet tolerant with others, he won our esteem and our affection. He has gone—we shall listen vainly for the tap-tap of his stick, which was to us the signal of his approach. We shall miss the kindly word, and the helpful criticism. But we shall over cherish the fondest memories of our friend, our father, and our counsellor.
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On a charge of having committed an indecent act at Merrylands, on August 4, Wallace Gordon Clark, at the Parramatta Police Court, on Thursday, was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. The sentence was suspended under the provisions of the First Offenders’ Act.
At the Toongabbie pound, recently, a cow was sold for the munificent sum of half-a-crown.
Alderman LA Simpson has been elected president of' the Parramatta Boy Scouts. (1st Troop.)
Next Thursday, August 16, a concert will be held in the Merrylands Town Hall under the auspices of the Holroyd Choral Society.
Wallace Gordon Clark, 1932
The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate, Thu 7 Apr 1932 4
“SIX MONTHS!”
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Man’s Serious Offences
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Charged with two serious offences, Wallace Gordon Clark pleaded guilty at the Parramatta Police Court on Monday and was sentenced to six months’ hard labor.
He had previously been convicted of a similar offence. [see Wallace Gordon Clark, 1923 above].
Clark was charged with having eommitted the offences at Granville on or about March 8 and on or about March 22.
Sergeant Parmeter said that the defendant was a fitter at the Clyde Repair Siding.
It was stated that the defendant had been convicted of a similar offence about eight years ago.
Sergeant Stinson: In view of that, I ask your Worship to regard the matter as a serious one.
Clark appealed for leniency, and promised not to offend again.
He was sentenced to six months’ hard labor.
1 The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta), Sat 23 Feb 1918, p. 5. Emphasis added.
2 There is a WWI service record for Wallace Gordon Clarke (barcode 1967098) which can be viewed at www.naa.gov.au
3 The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta), Sat 11 Aug 1923, p. 6. Emphasis added.
4 The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta), Thu 7 Apr 1932, p. 5. Emphasis added.