OFFICE SET ON FIRE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 75, 21 December 1929, Page 13

OFFICE SET ON FIRE

DISCOVERY BY CONSTABLE ADMISSION BY STEWARD Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, December 20. Bearing a grudge against her because she had not supplied him with work and wishing to frighten her, Henry Ball, a steward, aged 65 years, last night poured a bottle of kerosene in the doorway of Miss Minnie Anderson’s registry office in Ruahiue Street, and set fire to the place. Constable Barrett, of Palmerston North police, passed by on .his bicycle just as the flames burst out, however, and was able to extinguish them, and also to capture the would-be incendiarist. This afternoon Ball appeared in the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court, and pleading guilty, was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence on a charge of wilfully setting fire to a dwelling at 156 Ruahiue Street. An Old Building. “The building was a very old wooden one, and if the fire had burned for another five minutes it would have taken a lot to put it out,” said Constable H. H. Barrett, describing his timely arrival on the scene. There was a south-easterly wind blowing in the doorway, and it was blowing the flames under the door, added the constable. When he had arrived back at the scene of the fire with accused, who had made off up the street, the flames were over three and a half feet in height, and he could see kerosene burning. Nothing daunted, the constable was off with bis raincoat and was extinguishing the flames when Miss Anderson, who slept in the living quarters at the rear of the 'premises, came and opened the front door, roused by the noise. Empty Kerosene Bottle. Miss Anderson stated that she had known accused for about three and a half years, but last night was the first time she had seen him for two and a half years. She had reason to believe that accused bore her ill-will because he thought that she would not try to get him work. An empty kerosene bottle (produced in Court), which had been found in a garden adjacent to the building, was identified by William Dobson Willy as being similar to one purchased from him by accused at about 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Detective Russell stated that he interviewed accused, who had told ,hini that he had set the kerosene alight in the doorway as he wanted to give Miss Anderson a scare, and had added that he did not think it would do much damage. In a statement made by Ball, which the detective produced in Court, he said: “I felt I had a grudge, against Miss Anderson, as she refused me work for three years. I don’t suppose I would have done it if I hadn’t had a glass.” . Both Detective Russell and Constable Barrett, however, said that accused had been sober when they had seen him.