“I have received two anonymous letters about the County Motor Car being used for purposes totally apart from the Engineer's Official Duties - that is joy rides." So began County Council Member Lowry Baskin’s speech at a Stratford City Council Meeting in 1917. “The car was seen out at all hours of the night” Baskin continued, and was “once seen standing by the roadside with the lights out…” Baskin had personally seen Council Engineer William Lopdell drive the car down Kelly Street with the headlights off, only to be seen driving down Denmark Terrace with Mrs May Sefton later that evening. “There is only one inference that can be taken from that” Baskin concluded. In April, Sefton took Baskin to court for slander, claiming his speech had “imputed unchastity or adultery” on her part. Sefton insisted Lopdell had offered her and her son a ride to Midhirst. That was all. The case ended when the jury found Baskin guilty of slander and awarded Sefton £350. One of the anonymous notes sent to Baskin is seen here and was entered as evidence in Sefton’s court case.
Search the Puke Ariki Heritage Collection
LinkPlease do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki.
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.
The information on this website is provided for general research and reference only. While we try to keep content accurate and current, we make no guarantees about its completeness or correctness. It should not be considered a replacement for a LIM or a Property Report. Some content is supplied by third parties. Puke Ariki has not verified this content and users should check its accuracy before relying on it.The inclusion of a building on the website does not imply heritage status. See SCHED1 in the NPDC District Plan for a list of buildings that have rules about what can happen to or around them (administered by NPDC). See the New Zealand Heritage List for a list of buildings that are celebrated for their heritage significance but are not subject to rules (administered by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga). Should any corrections need to be made to the records or for more information please contact us.
