FIRE AT OHAKEA STATION

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25607, 23 September 1948, Page 6

FIRE AT OHAKEA STATION

AIRMAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO CHARGE

EVIDENCE OF OTHER AIRMEN

(P.A.) PALMERSTON N., Sept. 22. An airman whose name was suppressed appeared to-day in the Magistrate’s Court on a charge of setting fire to a building at the Ohakea air station and he was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Evidence showed that the damage amounted to £lO5O.

A witness, Alexander Lynn Mclntosh. alleged that accused had said: “I am going out to light the C.F.E. (central fire establishment) building." Mclntosh collapsed in the witness box and fell to the floor, but he continued his evidence a few minutes later. Allan Robert Field, grader driver and a member of the fire crew at Ohakea. said he had heard accused and Mclntosh discussing a fire. Mclntosh said: “There ought to be a few fires around here to make Sergeant Hughes (the firemaster) come back to the station." The witness thought practically everyone .round the station knew there was to be a fire that night. The witness thought Mclntosh was itching f° r a bit excitement.” The police gave evidence that accused made a statement in which he alleged that Mclntosh, who was always talking about his part in the Rongotai fire, persuaded him to set fire to the shed. He said Mclntosh gave him a bottle of petrol and told to sprinkle it around the C.F.E. shed Accused said he threw petrol round the shed, lit a fire and then left.