A clergyman fined: Wanted to “cut it out” [20 August 1915]

[Editor: This article was published in The Gosford Times; Woy Woy and Wyong District Advocate (Gosford, NSW), 20 August 1915.]

A clergyman fined.

Wanted to “cut it out.”

Rev. J. P. Penman, Methodist minister at Katoomba, and his wife were summoned before Mr. T. B. Clegg at the local Police Court for failing to have their names placed on the Federal electoral roll.

Mr. Penman, who is a fine recruiting speaker, and has been requested several times to contest Federal and State seats in the Labor interest, pleaded not guilty. He gave evidence that he was only two weeks over the stipulated time in the district. He was on the roll when the summons was issued, and deemed the prosecution an absolute farce.

The Bench inflicted a fine of 2s 6d, and 3s costs.

Mr. Penman refused to pay on principle, as he deemed the prosecution ridiculous, and decided to do the 12 hours’ alternative.

His congregation and friends in Court were greatly disturbed, and collected the fine, which was paid immediately. The clergyman protested, stating that he would sooner “cut it out.”

Source:
The Gosford Times; Woy Woy and Wyong District Advocate (Gosford, NSW), 20 August 1915, p. 8

Also published in:
The Democrat (Lithgow, NSW), 21 August 1915, p. 1
The Horsham Times (Horsham, Vic.), 27 August 1915, p. 3
Windsor and Richmond Gazette (Windsor, NSW), 27 August 1915, p. 13

Editor’s notes:
Bench = a judge or a magistrate (or a number thereof, collectively) in a court of law (in a judicial role); the place where a judge or a magistrate (or a number thereof, collectively) sit in a court of law (a “full bench” refers to all of the judges of the court sitting together in judgment in a court)

cut it out = to serve time in jail, instead of paying a court-imposed fine; to pay off a debt

d = a reference to a penny, or pennies (pence); the “d” was an abbreviation of “denarii”, e.g. as used in “L.S.D.” or “£sd” (pounds, shillings, and pence), which refers to coins used by the Romans, as per the Latin words “librae” (or “libra”), “solidi” (singular “solidus”), and “denarii” (singular “denarius”)

s = a reference to a shilling, or shillings; the “s” was an abbreviation of “solidi”, e.g. as used in “L.S.D.” or “£sd” (pounds, shillings, and pence), which refers to coins used by the Romans, as per the Latin words “librae” (or “libra”), “solidi” (singular “solidus”), and “denarii” (singular “denarius”)