CHARGE OF ARSON

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 183, 2 May 1934, Page 10

CHARGE OF ARSON

Four-figure Damages 1 YOUTH REMANDED ' “I am not sure what the damage •amounts to, but the assessor tells me it is something in four figures,” said Detectjve-Sergeant L. Revell, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when 1 Gebrgo Edward I-lill appeared on a charge of vvilfully setting fire to the shop and storehouse of Armstrong and Splring'hall, Ltd., at the corner of Johnston and Featherston Streets on Thursday evening last. On the application of the police the magistrate, Mr. E. Page, remanded accused to appear in a week’s time., Accused was. also remanded on a charge of stealing £4/7/6 from the firm. It was stated that; he was a clerk, aged 18, and employed by Arm--strong and. Springhall. After his arrest he had made a complete and frank statement on the' part he bad allegedly taken in the offences, but the police were not yet fully conversant with the facts. Bail was allowed at £l5O. with , a surety' of a similar amount. The magistrate refused .to allow suppression of accused’s 'nameMcnowai Stowaway. ’ '" With an allegation J:hat he had successfully, stowed away and crossed the Tasman twice recently, Kenneth- Duncan, aged 18, was . convicted and put under the care of the child welfare superintendent. The charge preferred against him of stowing avvay at Sydney on the Monowai; which arrived in Wellington on Monday evening. It was stated that accused was arrested on suspicion in the city yesterday by Detective Tricklebank. Three years ago he had been made a. ward of the State, and after being on,.a training farm had been) put to work under a farmer. Recently he had (run away from the farm-and stowed away on the Monowai at Auckland, and he had returned in the same way after being for a short time in Sydney. - Accused said he went to Sydney, to get work, but found 'that impossible. The police considered he should be handed back into the care of the Child Welfare Department. • Drunk Two Days Running. Michael Melville, aged 64. a seaman, was fined £3. with three days’ imprisonment in default, for his second statutory offence of drunkenness. The police stated that the .conviction for life first offence had been made on the previous morning. f 'N ■