The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 8

THE GUARDIAN Friday Harch 26 1971 Former manager denies fraud No bail for Ex-RAF man sent for trial on secrets charges A former KAF sergeant, Nicholas Anthony Prater, was yesterday sent for trial to reds Assizes on charges of spying for the Czechs and of planning further rspjnnagr. Prager (12), an electrical engineer, of Austen Drive, Bramley, near Kntherham, Yorkshire, was refused bail. The magistrates rejecter! THE CHARGES have been and which was Douglas Smith, former manager of the Palatine Hotel, Blackpool, said at Manchester Crown Court yesterday, that he had suspecter customers were being overcharged for drinks in the hotel's six bars. But he told the jury There is not a vestige of truth in the suggestion that I pocketed thousands of pounds during 1970." Smith (53). of Elland Place, and Miss Hazel Sunley (35), of Queen Victoria Road, both of Blackpool, have denied being involved in an alleged drinks fraud involving 10,000 at the hotel last summer.

Before calling Smith to give evidence, Mr George Carman, defending, said the prosecu Prager is charged that 1 In 1961. for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State, he made a sketch calculated to be or might be or was intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy. 2 Thai between July and September, 1961, he committed an act prejudicial to the safety and interests of the State bv communicating to two officers of the Czechoslovakian Intelligence Service documents containing information which was calculated to be or which flight intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy. 3 That on January 16, 1971, In the city of Prague he did an act preparatory to communicating for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State information calculated to be or which might be or was intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy by entering into an arrangement with a foreign agent as to how he was to communicate thereafter with the agent. Mibmisswn hv -Mr Edward Lynns.

for Bradford Kast. defending Prager. that there was no case to answer on the third charge. They sent Prager for trial on all three charges under the Official Secrets Act. Replying to Mr Lyons' submission, Mr Donald Herrod, prosecuting, spoke of Prager's first statement, which was later retracted.

The statement indicated that ery elaborate arrangements were made not by Prager. but hv the Czech Intelligence Service. One wondered why, a jury was entitled tn wonder why Part of the prosecution's w.i,, that tried to the 1 iu ri los by 1 1 1 ii i on UAF forms and p.isspnri application forms to be Rnt ish horn. Hut the forms gave his pl.ice o' birth as Vienna and lie often told colleagues about Rercsford Owen, said he and ments and other papers to li wife went with Mr and Mrs police headquarters. Pr.K.er and their three children Superintendent Domaillo said to in Italv on August fi.

that on February 1. I'r. said he had to go to he other officers searched Czechoslovakia on business. Prager and found a wallet con- We drove to Home and Mr taining a receipt from the Prayer left alone from Rome Hotel International, Prague, airport The rest of them dated January 15. 1971.

Also staved in Italv until August 20 the wallet, hidden behind a Final touches by floodlight for the tanker, Texaco Great Britain, which will be launched today from the Wallsend yard of Swan Hunter Shipbuilders Limited. when they left and drove to the compartment, was a piece of tlii.s and about being educated Czech border with Austria. paper bearing Prague Detective-Superintendent John address tion's case rested on the evidence of three taintel witnesses." Counsel claimed that one of the witnesses, Mrs Kathleen Duffy, had hoen poisoned by anger and a desire for revenge because Smith had sacked her. In my submission at least one of the hotel directors knew what was going on and his eyes to it. The fact that employees lined their pockets was something that was unhappily condoncfl," Mr Carman said.

Mrs Duffy is one of four defendants who have admitted a charge of conspiracy. They will be dealt with later. 'Very bad' Mr Smith in evidence said that when he was appointed in 1964 the hotel stocks were very-bad. One bar had a deficiency of 1 7eeliofilovakia. r.veryone l.new- he had a foreign accent ml his continuing KAF record showed all the true facts.

A school headmaster. Mr Domaillc said that on January Prager was committed for he raided Prager's house trial at Leeds Assizes on all with a search warrant and three charges. An application took a large number of docu- for bail was refused. Destruction of dock would be 'disastrous' Firm of solicitors reprimanded Leisure centre's traffic problem Bv ERNEST DEWHURST The Victorian Society would be unequivocally opposed te the destruction of Albert dock, Liverpool, and its warehouses, the society says in a case for preservation presented to Liver should be adopted by the city for the waterfront site. The society was convinced that any such redevelopment U'ac rnncictpnl U'itK a nrtliev nf Two London solicitors were reprimanded by the Law Society's disciplinary committee because the lettering if the sign in their office indow was too large.

They were brought before committee to answer alle gations of doing something years ago. The West Essex Law which might he regarded as Society complained that it was touting or advertising or as not in accordance with the calculated to attract business accepted standards of the unfairly. Such cases are profession." extremely rare. The firm defended its Mr Isaac Itomain and Mr hut eventually agreed to a new John Coleman fitted out the layout. By the time the new window of their office at Hoe sign was completed, disciplinary Street, Walthamstow, over two proceedings had begun.

pool Corporation by its chair Nikolaus conservation by which the man, Profesror Sir Pevsner. best nineteenth-century dock maintain that structures could be kept It and architec- did not want to acgravate the We strongly their historical tural importance is so great dock hoard's financial diffienltips I came with the Oldham Estate Company's proposals because the company was not prepared to consider keeping the warehouses in the scheme. Although its withdrawal had removed the specific threat, the fart that the dock board considered the warehouses obsolete, and had a policy for closing and sale of the south docks system, meant that the future of Albert dock was uncertain and must cause concern. Its warehouses and traffic office were crade one in the list of buildings of architectural and historic interest. The society's memorandum also discusses various recent studies and suggestions for the Albert dock site covering, its use for offices with a maritime museum in the warehouses, or as a possible site for the Liverpool Polytechnic, with accommodation in the warehouses.

The Victorian Society said it now seemed opportune to consider further the use of the site for the polytechnic. "We would not consider polytechnic use of any site as uneconomic." By our own Reporter AM ERE BROW, between Southport and Preston, is not a particularly beautiful village, but the 250 people there appreciate it for its isolation. Occasionally they see the stray tourist. They may be meeting more. The local landowner.

Lord Lilford is to build a leisure that their demolition would be 0r impede the economic well- a disastrous loss of national being of Mersevside but magnitude." the society says. preservation of "the most What its memorandum calls important dock buildings would Jesse Hartley's masterpiece not be inconsistent with the is a basin enclosed on all sale of the board's property and four sides by warehouses anrl redevelopment, opened by the Prince Consort Thp said the with. in 18-46. The society talks rap- drawal of the oidham Estates turously of cmonnades of ir companv it recently aban- sive cast-iron Doric columns doned bi pIans for an office 350 a week. The directors said they wanted a full stock plus the usual 2 per cent surplus.

I have consistently achieved that target for them and the dividend of the hotel has Increased. When I started it was 42J per cent. Last year it was 70 per cent," he said. Smith said It had been his practice to make bar manageresses responsible for th production of money for If there was a loss she bad to make He denied that after receiving an official price list from the directors he had worked out another priot list with his bar manageress. Regarding his attitudo fctoowt overcharging, which he pected was talcing place ht the hotel's bars.

Smith said: "My job was to ensure thai tha stocks were right and to make a profit for the company, That ht what I did." During his employment at the Palatine Hotel, Smith said, he had "physically carried eliotical city on the Albert dock site 1 classical centre for Lancashire people, i brick arches, a discipline," and a liveliness in with a hoatinc lake, horse riding, and, possibly, a golf course, and the only way into the park for thousands of motorists may be straight through Brow. Hvery month prcat thinps happen in London. So pick a date, then no Inter-City. suggested that commercial development on that scale may not at present be practicable. It may be that for the present, at least, the dock and warehouses could beneficially be used for storage.

In any case we strongly maintain "that commercial viability and the economic use of the site does not depend on the demolition of Jesse Hartley's masterpiece," the memorandum says. Although Albert dock was not the first enclosed dock, coming after two in London, it was a well preserved early example. The threat to it the rhythm of the fenestration. It says the problem of its future must be seen in relation to the south docks as a whole. The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board's intention to close the whole system meant that the entire area would become available for redevelopment and some lesser, but important, buildings designed by Hartley micht be threatened.

Professor Gardner-Medwin. of Liverpool, had recently discussed the potential of the two-mile length of dockland and suggested that imaginative plans ast, irequent services make the noma easy it said. "A polytechnic scheme seems to us sufficiently convincing to be worthy of further investigation." Discussing the maritime museum, the society said Albert dock seemed ideal for it. Further possible uses for the warehouses might include industry or for parts of it to be used for archive storage or in connection with the resited fruit exchange. out repairs and ecorations to save the company money.

There is not a wall or a piece of wood in the hotel that I have not painted myself. I have not had a holiday since I began at the hotel in 1964 and there is not a vestige of truth in the suggestion that I have pocketed thousands of pounds during 1970," he added. The trial continue! todayt (and the cominp back). And reduced Day and Weekond'Period returns make things easy on your pocket. Children can even travel at a quarter fare on Weekend Period returns! Look at what's on, where and when.

Make a date. And make it by Inter-City. For details of services and availability of fhese tickets, enquire at principal stations or The villagers are fighting the plans to use Mere Brow as an access to the park. In a resolution to the -Ministry of Transport, Lancashire County Council, the West Lancashire rural council, and Jlr Harold Soref. MP for Ormskirk.

the parish council has asked for access to he found on the main trunk road to Southport, the A565. Three points of access have already been proposed by Lord Lilford. One would begin opposite Mere Brow junior school, another would take traffic through the village, and the third would cut across smallholdings run by two market gardeners. Not bothered Whichever road is eventually used, it will rim straight tn the proposed 250-acrp park where a 20-acre sandpit has been transformed into a man-made lake for boating, and where an equestrian centre is being built appointed travel anonts. London Diary for April Pageant and Fattlvals Chess A small man and his beer intake iNhiny c.ir.icr HvJrP.iit.V.

Mlhr.it'e The draw debate N. AMwych Theatre. Easter Fairs r.vir-.'.'.nil!ca!!i.-'.".l r.i asuii' o.u Jens. Exhibitions Bv LEONARD BARDEN lr- vn "cry. A man took a breathalyser qualifying a driver.

The judges Iv AM, M. IflVOt I ,1" te.SII. i. UILir- sent the case back to the maris No. 1,133 trates with a direction to disqualify Mr James Vincent Baxter, of Whiteoaks Road, Oadby.

Leicestershire. ill r-'i II Lvli i t.Vrit'l K.i Iv.ay ill'' i'i I ostiy H.vi,. u.tiiM' S.v.i Flower Show Hj Sport Villagers do not object to the centre itself. Mr John Caunce. a member of Mere Rrow parish council, said "We simply want to preserve our quality of life.

We are not bothered by the numbers of people expected, but are worried about the amount of traffic. We would end up like a little Blackpool "i.ti-u i'k Icr.ia.. oi I ii mmoit KCj.ll Albert H.V 7 TIicc arc 'cU cf Maiichesterto London Baxter thought he could take two pints of bitter without failing the B-test. But when police stopped him he had drunk four half pints and the breathalyser test proved positive. Lord Parker.

Lord Justice Widgery, and Mr Justice Bean also decided that a man who refused to give a specimen until the arrival of his solicitor at the a Si 2i ill test which proved positive. But because he was small and had not eaten he was not banned from driving by magistrates at Banbury, Oxon. They decided that the alcoholic content of his blood va-; greater than it would have boon in the case of a bigger man who had oaten. Throe High Court judges yesterday decided the magistrates' decision was wrong. Lord Parker, the Lord Chief Justice, allowed with costs a police appeal against the magistrates' refusal to disqualify He said there was no medical evidence to support the descision.

It was well-established in law that lack of food on its own was not a special reason for not dis- the pressurisers. the provokers, and the blitzers. Fischer and Larsen are the pressurisers. striving for the win right into drawn endgames and sometimes breaking their opponents' defence by sheer persistence, as in Fischer's win over Gelier in a drawn rook ending in the interzonal. Korchnoi is the great provoker and master of counter-attack, adopting questionable strategy to induce opponents to overreach.

He also has just won another first prize, nosing ahead of a powerful field at Beverwijk though with a score (10 out of 15) below the 70 per cent norm. This week's first game is typical Korchnoi. with the winning move at the end made just as his opponent apparently cains control of a useful open file. Finally. Tal remains the supreme blitzer.

The second game played at Tallinn shows one of his dazzling attacks is endless. if police station had not acted Jimmy vtilson. who is helping to establish the park, spoke for Lord Lilford We want to cause as little inconvenience possible to the inhabitants of Mere Brow. We Inter-City makes the going easy (and the coming back) i don't want there to be any hardship." reasonably. Manchester Stipendiary 1 Magistrate had decided on November 16 that it was reason- able for Mr William Stephens, i of Gibson Ro3d, Heaton Moor, Stockport to wait.

The judges ordered that the case should go back to the magistrate with a direction to convict. White mates- in two moves, against any defence (by A. Casa). Solution No. 1.132: After 1 PxN 2 PxN QxR ch wins a rook.

Due to a double oversight by both players, this chance was overlooked both here and after 2 PxKP 3 RPxP RxR 7 Eagle Star I One of the liveliest current chess debates is the correct approach to games against weaker opponents who are only playing, for a draw. The dis-1 cussion centres on whether you should take risks to win with the ack pieces or whether is preferable to aim to avoid defeats with black and try to win a high proportion of whites. L'ntil recent years 70 per cent to 75 per cent scores were usually enough for tournament first prizes, so that the risk avoidance advocates had the best of the argument. During the last three or four years the picture has changed because of the tournament successes of Fischer, Larsen. and Korchnoi, who play for the full point impartially with i either colour and so often win strong events with scores well in excess of the 70 per cent norm.

Tal also belongs to the point-hungry group, and his welcomes careful drivers against the Sicilian, complete with a queen sacrifice. C. B. van den Berg (Holland) Victor Korchnoi (Soviet Union) Modern Bcnonl I P-Hi N-KB3 2 P-QB4 P-KJ 3 VQB3 P-B4 4 P-Q5 PxP 5 PxP P-Q3 6 N-B3 P-KN3 7 N-Q2 B-N2 8 N-B4 0-0 9 B-B4 X-Kl 10 Q-Q2 BxN 11 PxB. Sharper is 11 QxB followed by nueen's side castling, with a dangerous attack for White.

II P-QN4 12 N-N2 B-N2 13 P-N3 N-Q2 14 B-N2 P-B4 15 0 0 P-B5 16 QR-K1 N(2)-B3 17 P-KR4 Q2 18 P-JK4 (P-B3) PxP 19 BxKP NxB 20 RxN X-B3 21 R-K6 NxP 22 RxP Q-R6! 23 Resigns. If 23 RxN QR-Q1 wins. Mikhail Tal (Soviet Union) A. Yooremaa (Soviet Union) Sicilian. Taimanov variation 1 P-K4 P-QB4 2 N-KB3 P-K3 3 P-tM PxP 4 NxP P-QR3 5 B-Q3 N-QB3 6 B-K3 N-B3 7 0-0 Q-B2 8 N-QB3 B-Q3 9 K-Rl P-KR 10 P-B4 N-KN5 11 Q-B3 NxB 12 QxN Q-N3 13 N(3)-K2 P-K4 14 Q-N3! PxN 15 QxP R-Bl 16 P-K5 B-K2 17 P-B5 P-B3 18 N-B4 R-B2 19 PxP N-K4 If 19 RxQ 20 PxR K-B2 21 P-B6 and NrP.

20 B-B4 NxB 21 Q-N8 ch B'BI 22 NxP N-Q3 23 QR-K1 ch K-Ql 24 R-K7 Q-N4 25 KR-KI Q-Q4 26 N-B4 QxRP 27 N-K6 ch QxN" 28 PxQ RxP 29 R-B7 Resigns. Effect of loans plan 6 marginal The Government decision to abolish the ceiling on the amount of money local authorities can lend for house purchase would have only a marginal direct effect on the housing situation, a House Builders' Federation spokesman said yesterday. Mr W. T. Whittingham.

national president, welcoming the move, said We have to encourage the sale of the very old terrace house so that the existing owners can move into new houses, and this decision will help that direction." But local authorities already confined loans to people the building societies wouM not help, and interest rates were mostly above the Si per cent minimum charged by building societies. For these reasons, the proportion of borrowers who defaulted was high, ani it was unlikely that local councils would wish to encourage further commitments of doubt recent improvement in health and results is another influence which will produce sharper play anions the top grandmasters. At Tallinn last month. Ta! shared first prize with Keres with 11 out of 15. half a point ahead of Bronstein.

The point-hungry players have different approaches I according to style; there are ful financial staoiiity..