FIRES IN NORTH AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24747, 12 December 1945, Page 9

FIRES IN NORTH AUCKLAND

CHARGES AGAINST BOY (P.A.) WHANGAREI, Dec. 11. ™ A i 3 b °y charged in the Whangarei Children's Court denied wilfully setting Are to a store, timber mill; and. motor garage on three dates at Omahuta, north of Hokianga. As a result of fires the store, vnlued at £6OO, and the mill, valued at £lj,ooo. were destroyed and 130 residents of the mill settlement were deprived of their means of support, the Kauri Timber Company having decided against rebuilding. In a ' statement alleged to have been made by the boy after the third fire he admitted lighting all three fires because he wanted to see buildings blazing, and men rushing about. Counsel said he considered the boy had been trapped into making the statement, but the Magistrate ruled that the police inquiries had been properly made. The boy said in evidence that the police threatened to pull his nose off If. he did, not tell the truth, causing him to become frightened and make admissions which were false. The Magistrate said he did not know how much of the boy's story was lies, but he was satisfied that he set fire to a tractor shed containing plant worth £12,000. For this the boy was placed under the supervision of the Child Welfare Department for two years, a condition being that he attend an Auckland boys' school for the' first year. The other charges were dismissed. "I can't send him back to Omahuta." the Magistrate said. "If I did, there might be a riot."