CHARGE OF ARSON

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 112, 4 February 1933, Page 11

CHARGE OF ARSON

Fire in Newtown Garage ONE ACCUSED CONVICTED The case in which Athol Jordan Buckley and Harry Allan were charged with wilfully setting fire to a garage at 156 Adelaide Road on November 2 last, the property of Dr. R. A. Cameron, of Paraparaumu, was concluded in the Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. Justice Blair and a jury, with the result that the juryreturned a verdict of guilty against Buckley and not guilty against Allan. Allan was discharged, and sentence upon Buckley was .deferred. The Assistant Crown Prosecutor, Mr. C. Evans-Scott, conducted the prosecution, while Mr. R. H. Boys appeared for Buckley, and Mr. Macandrew for Allan. Walter Clive Sutherland, continuing under cross-examination by Mr. Macandrew, said that he first told the police about the arson conspiracy on December 6 last, and at the same time incriminated himself on a breaking and entering charge. Mr. Macandrew: You made that statement in the hope - of saving your own skin?—“No.” You are serving a sentence at the present time, are you not? —“Yes.” What other charges have you . had against you?—“Bigamy, theft and maintenance.” Evidence for the Crown was given by Verna Price, Nancy Coburn, Detectives F. Hayhurst and R. Waterson. Counsel for the defence intimated that they did not propose to call evidence. After counsel had addressed the jury, and his Honour had summed up, the jury retired at 2.48 p.m., and returned at 4.7 with a verdict of not guilty in Allan’s case, and guilty with respect to Buckley. The foreman. Mr. Dnffell, said the jury desired to endorse his Honour’s remarks with regard to the admirable manner in which Mr. Boys had conducted i the defence of Buckley.