Monday June 28, 1937

l Farm Sold at Usk

At Usk on Monday, Messrs. Rennie, Taylor and Co. offered for sale by auction the freehold tithe and land tax-free farm, Llanynant, adjoining the Kingcoed road and about 1 ½ miles from Raglan and Llandenny railway stations, having an area of 113 acres.

The property was sold to Mr. L. Francis, of Newbridge, at £2,200. Mr. Francis has the option of purchasing an adjoining block of 37 acres of pasture land. The vendor’s solicitors were Messrs. J. D. Thomas and Son, Aberdare.

l Hook or Gaff Point – Usk Board Case Fails at Abergavenny

When is a gaff not a gaff? When it is a hook, said Mr. J. D. L. Wagstaffe, at Abergavenny Police Court, when he defended Titus Davies, Lower Castle-street, Abergavenny, who was summoned for unlawfully being in possession of a gaff near the River Usk with intent to kill salmon, or trout, and Walter Meadows, Mill-street, Abergavenny, who was summoned for aiding and abetting.

Mr. Wagstaffe pleaded not guilty for both.

After hearing the evidence, the magistrates dismissed the summonses.

Lady Mather Jackson (Chairman) said it was a proper case for investigation, but the evidence was not sufficient.

Mr. Roy Harmaton (Messrs. Lyne and Co., Newport) prosecuted for Usk Board of Conservators.

Thomas Kiely, water bailiff, said that at 3.20pm on May 25, when on the bank of the River Usk opposite Llanwenarth Church, he saw Meadows searching under the bushes with a stick. Davies was standing on the bank about four yards away, looking up and down. Meadows searched the river for about sixty yards, and then Davies went into a field and appeared to hide something in the grass. Davies then went to the side of the river.

Kiely said he went over to the river and met the two men coming towards him.

Kiely said, “You have been busy up there. I should like to search you both.” In Davies’ right hand coat pocket, Kiely found a barbed wire gaff, but he did not find anything on Meadows. Kiely added that on the bank he found a stick which had been freshly immersed in water.

Shah Farr, head water bailiff, said the bhook found on Davies was capable of landing a 10lb. salmon. He had known 20lb. fish taken from a similar hook.

Davies said he and Meadows went for a walk along the river bank. They had a dog with them. When they came to a ditch on the footpath the dog went after something, and he called it off. Davies denied that he searched the bushes with a stick. The hook that was found on him he had had for a number of years.

In reply to Mr. Harmston, Davies said he carried the hook about “just as a hobby.”

The Clerk (Mr. J. A. G. Price) A mascot? (Laughter).

Davies: Yes. That is right, sir.

Meadows said he was never on the river side of the footpath. Two women and three children were there at the time. He denied searching the bushes. He did not know Davies had the hook in his pocket. Kiely must have stold an untruth when he said he saw him (Meadows) searching in the bushes.

l Prisoners’ Aid Society Help – “Marching Orders” from Usk

Marching orders were given by Usk magistrates to Douglas Johnston, 18, charged on remand with stealing a bicycle value £5, the property of Henry Charles Wood, of Llanbadoc.

Johnston, a Scot, was allowed his fare to return to Dumfries, and on his undertaking to go back the same day, he was bound over.

Johnston pleaded guilty.

Leon Davenne, labourer, of the Radyr, Usk, said on June 24 he borrowed Wood’s cycle, and left it inside a gate at Llanbadoc. Later, it was missing.

P.S. A. Bowcott, Usk, said that the stopped several cyclists after the theft had been reported. He saw Johnston riding a bicycle without a light in Usk, and noticing that the man was a stranger to the district, made a closer examination of the bicycle which was identical with the missing machine.

When he was charged, Johnston said, “I have been travelling the country, I was tired.”

In reply to the Chairman, Mr. J. I. Storrar, Johnston said he had been away from Scotland for three months. He had worked in a Dumfries garage for about eight months.

It was stated that nothing was known about Johnston.

The Chairman: Will you go back to Scotland if you are given a chance? – Yes.

The Chairman: The Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society will pay your train fare to Scotland if you go today.

Mr. A. C. O’Connor, Cariddiff, Secretary Agent of East Glamorgan Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society, said Johnston’s fare would be paid. He would also be given “something to put in his pocket, because the journey is long”, and he would be seen onto the train that day.