GORSE SET ON FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 14, 17 January 1941, Page 4

GORSE SET ON FIRE

TWO MEN CONVICTED

Charges of unlawfully lighting fires among gqrse in the Taita Gorge on January 6 were made against Norman Bourne Bentley and Topham Henry Gadsby at the Lower Hutt Magistrate's Court yesterday. Both, accused pleaded guilty. Detective-Sergeant H. C. Murch said there had recently been destructive fires in. the Taita Gorge, to which both the Lower Hutt and Stokes Valley Fire Brigades had been called. On this occasion the Stokes Valley Brigade was called twice, the. same fire having blazed up again. The fire had been lighted by Gadsby, who had made the suggestion, while Bentley had kept watch on the road. Bentley was somewhat simple and had been led by Gadsby. .

Mr. A. J. Mazengarb, appearing for the accused, agreed with the statement of Detective-Sergeant Murch .and said that when the fire had blazed up Bentley' gave the. alarm and stood by, recalling the brigade on the second occasion^ Gadsby unfortunately' had had some drink and was now willing to take out a prohibition order against himself.

Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., said the practice was not only stupid but dangerous and that recently £5000 worth of property had been destroyed by a like action.

Bentley was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, and Gadsby was placed on probation for twelve months on condition he took out a prohibition order.