MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 218, 6 February 1897, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

At this Court on Thursday before Dr Cinders nml Mr Brent, Justices. Frank Partes was charged on the in' formation <if Constable Murray, that lie on or about the loth January last at Te Wairoa without legal justification or excuse, and without colour of right he did wilfully set fire to the ftntnmahana Hotel tiie property of Mika Aporn. The following evidence was adduced : Milca Aporo stated: I am nn aboriginal native of New Zealand. 1 do not know accused. I »m one of the owners of property at Wairoa. 1 was the owner of two houses, one was the house formerly known a-" the rfotomahana Hotel. I saw this hotel about the sth of January last. I ■visited the place again on the 2Gth January last and I found it had been burned down. I intended to have removed the old hotel to my place at Ngapuna near Rotorua where I lire. I was only waiting till the road was good enough to move it. This hotel was broken down by the eruption of Tarawera. I never authorised any person to interfere with this building. My father built the house and leased both the house and the ground to Mr Joseph Meliae. After the eruption Mr Meßae handed over the ruins and some contents, namely, bedsteads- and seme pieces of furniture to me. By the Court: Mr Herbert Macdonald took a part of the kitchen of the hotel to build a boat-house; he had my permission to do so. • I had an interest in the boatshed. Alfred A. Yates, licensed interpreter and assisiant surveyor, stated : I know accused 1 by sight; I remember the 16th January last. On that day, Saturday, I visited "Wairoa early in the morning, I arrived there at ten minutes to sight a.m. I wot accused about two milo3 on' the Rotorua sido

of "Wairoa : I bid him good morning; he answered and seemed to me to lie taken aback; ho was looking on the ground when I -was riding past. After I crossed the inlet I noticed smoke towards Wairoa and 1 said to my wife who was with me: —" That chap must have set a fire out here." "When I anived at Wairoa. I found the ruins of MeHae's hotel on fire; the front part was all burning. I remarked that it was too bad to set tho place on fire. I knew this hotel well it was called the Rotomahana Hotel I knew it before the eruption wh- n it was in use as a hotel. Mr Joseph Mcßao was the proprietor; it was destroyed by the eruption in 1880. Since the eruption this hotel lias been one of the sights of the district. I know of my own knowledge that the Government have spent, money from time to time to keep the road leading to this place in repair. It w>s in the ruins of this hotel that Mr Bainhridge lost his life: Air Bainhridge was a tourist. "When I returned to Rotorua on the 16th I reported the occurrence to Constable Murray. Alexander 'fait, photographer, stated : 1 know the accused. I remember tlie 17th of January last I saw accused on that date about 10 p.m. I was talking to Constable Murray at the gate in front of the Police Station when accused came up and addressing Constable Murray said: " I understand you havi been looking for me." The Constable said: "I don't know that I have, but, I have been looking for someone till day!" " You are looking for iho man who •■et fire to the huildui?,' at Wairoa?" The Constable replied : "Yes." Accused said : " Well, I am that man. I thought it was right and proper to give mvs«'lf up lo you." Accused then said : " When I set. fire to the old tim'er I did not think it. was of any value. I walked to "Wairoa to see the sights, and finding it was too late to return I camped there for thp night. 11. turned out very cold pud I set fire to some of this old timber to warm myself; I did not think it was any harm." Accu-ed gave the Constable his name and address as Frank Parks, Young Men's Christian Association, Auckland, lie said he was willing to pav for any flam igo ho had done. Constable Murray corroborated the st foment of last witness and further stated that when licensed came to him and made his statement he was at a loss ro know what to do in the matter, as he did not know of any owner to the property destroyed, but ha afterwards learned the property belongod to Mika Aporo, a native. He then laid the information and accused was arretted on warrant by tho Auckland Police on 2.3 th January and remanded to Rotorua. Accused was committed to tako his trial at thenext sitting of tho Supremo Court at Auckland on March 9. Bail was allowed, accused in £IOO, and two sureties of £IOO each..