HOTEL FIRE

Evening Post, Issue 149, 20 December 1935, Page 8

HOTEL FIRE

CHARGE OF ARSON

BREWER IN COURT

(£y Telegraph—tress association.) PAtMERSTON N., This Day. .The. hearing is proceeding before Justices of the Peace of a charge against Douglas Henry Colin Baker, a brewer, that on or. about May 8, 1933, he' committed arson by wilfully setting fire to the Makotuku Hotel. DetectiveSergeant Bickerdike said that evidence would be advanced to show that the accused had procured persons to commit, the alleged offence. Numerous witnesses are to be heard, and it is expected that1 the case will be a lengthy one. '•> ■ , William Martin Senk said he took over the hotel from the accused in October, 1932. The lease was due to expire-in April, 1933, and he had given notice of his intention' not to seek a renewal. Tse accused visited witness in company with a manri named Barringer. Witness thought the hotel would be much over-insured at £2000. He related how he, was awakened :ori the night of the fire and found the dining-room alight.. He said he was financially ruined by it. "ISNT SHE DOWN YET?" When the accused and Barringer had called 'ten days previously the accused remarked, "Isn't she down: yet?" Witness asked what he' meant. The accused added: "I thought she would have been down by now." George Ebbett,' a solicitor, of Napier, liquidator for Messrs. 'Neil and Close, who owned the hotel till it was sold to a group of which, the accused was one, gave evidence that in May, 1933, theaccused owed £1930 under a mortgage which had been allowed- to' remain on. the hotel. The accused got into arrears on the payments. Witness had given notice to sell the property through, the Registrar on two occasions. Subsequently arrangements were made for the sale of the hotel on May 18, but the hotel was destroyed by fire on May 8. '.-'■;. INSURANCE COVER. The buildings and contents were insured 'for £1250. Witness was not aware that the accused had taken out an additional cover of £750. The accused had not actually redeiyed any money, but witness had credited the accused to the extent of £1750 as a book transaction.' '