INCENDIARISM ALLEGED.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20224, 30 April 1931, Page 5

INCENDIARISM ALLEGED.

] TEMUKA HALL FIRE. RABBITER ON TRIAL. (SPECIAL TO THE PRESS.) TIMARU, April 29. As a sequel to the destruction by fire of the Parish Hall, Temuka, in the early morning of March Bth, William Watson, a rabbiter, was charged in the Supromc Court this afternoon with having wilfully set fire to the building. The ease is being heard before Mr Justice Adams and a jury. The Crown Solicitor (Mr W. D. Campbell) is conducting the prosecution. Accused, who has entered a plea of not guilty, is represented by Mr E. J. Anderson (l)unedin) with Mr G. J. Walker, ot Timaru, 'as junior counsel. The Crown case was that the Parish Hall, Temuka, had been set on fire at (3.20 a.m. on March Bth. Evidence would be brought to show that, tho accused had purchased kerosene two or three hours previous to the fire, the kerosene apparently having been used to sot the hall on fire. The first witness was the Rev. G. W. Watson, vicar of Temuka, who estimated the damage to the hall at £BOO. John Hislop, who resides in Dyson street, Temuka, said that he noticed a huge volume of smoke coming from the Parish Hall. The time would be shortly after 6 a.m. Witness gave the alarm. William Alfred Ives, an officer of tho Temuka Fire Brigade, said that he smelt kerosene when water was applied to the burning building. Henry Richard Wood bain, a grocer, said t that he was called to his shop at 3 o'clock on the morning of March Bth, as there was a fire next door. Witness saw the accused in an adjoining right-of-way. He had sold him a bottle of kerosene, which he declared that he wanted for his lantern. To Mr Anderson: A man named Fisher was with the accused when he came to the shop. In the opinion of witness, the accused had had drink. Fisher. Who wanted the accused to have tho kerosene, was not drunk. At this stage further hearing of the case was adjourned until 10.15 tomorrow morning.