CARS ON FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 222, 19 September 1930, Page 7

CARS ON FIRE.

"WILFULLY CAUSED."

GARAGE BLAZE AT OPOTIKI.

CORONER CANNOT SAY BY

WHOM.

FINDING AT INQUIRY.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.); OPOTIKI, Thursday. A coronial inquiry into a fire that took place in Messrs. Mcintosh and Mackay's garage, situated in Church Street, Opotiki, on August 12, was opened in the Opotiki Courthouse this morning before Mr. S. L. Patterson, S.M. Detective McLeod represented the police. The case aroused intense interest. C. Hambly, who sold the garage to Messrs. Mcintosh and Mackay, gave details of the deal. On the night of the fire, he' said, he came into town, going to a billiard saloon first and later to tho parish hall. When the siren sounded he was sitting in a car with Ambrose Vanstone. and when the brigade turned out he followed to the scene of the fire, but did riot enter the garage. Mcintosh and Mackay would receive no benefit if the building had been destroyed. A man named ' Glover had been employed by him when he sold out and Glover was re-employed by Mcintosh and Mackay. Glover never mentioned his reason for leaving that firm. Witness had never expressed a desire to get Mcintosh and Mackay out of : their premises. He had no desire at any time to do that. He was not in Glover's company before the fire on the night in question, but he had met Glover in the street, going southward. He thought Glover was alone at , the time. Glover was now working for Home.

Mr. L. Mcintosh said he left the garage at 8.40 and went home. When he left everything was secure. The main doors and showroom were locked, but the back door was not locked. There was no handle on the outside and anyone entering the garage would either require knowledge of how to open the back door or possess a key to the other door. Soon after 11 he was told of the fire and when he arrived two cars were burning on the road. He and Constable Breed pushed the cars inside and examined them. One car Was badly burned and under its engine he found pieces of his overhauls which had been burned. A tin containing benzine for washing cars had. been shifted and very little benzine was left. On another car there wag' a cardigan saturated with benzine on the front seat. When he took over 'the premises he employed, a man named Glover, who had been employed previously by Hambly. For reasons which he explained to the Court he dispensed with Glover's services.

Eric Mackay, a member of the firm, said all the employees knew how to open the door of the garage from the outside..; 1 ;

John Boss, a mechanic at the garage, said he attended the fire. He identified the cardigan as his. When he left the garage this was hanging on the door' of the car and had no benzine on it. Glover walked in at the door after the fire and asked, "What have you been doing?" When Charles Glover was called the coroner told him that certain suspicions attached to him and that he was not bound to answer any question that would incriminate him.

In his evidence Glover said he was dismissed from the employ of Mcintosh and Maqkay about three months ago and since had been in the employ of Home. He and his wife were in bed when they heard the siren. They both got up and he afterwards went to the fire. He was Wearihg -his pyjamas and his present suit.

Constable Breed gave lengthy evidence which, indicated < the circumstances pointed to the fire having been wilfully lighted. „

The col-oner's verdict was that the fire had been wilfully caused by some person ; or persons, but'that there was not sufficient evidence to show by whom.