ARSON AT ONEHUNGA

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1928, Page 3

ARSON AT ONEHUNGA

, AN INQUIRY HELD. | (By Telegraph—Press Association). \ AUCKLAND, Sept. 28. | An inquiry concerning a fire at an j unoccupied six-roomed bouse in Lower j Queen Street, Onehunga, last July, | when one of the .front rooms was damI aged, was held to-day. Mr Alexander. ; for the Onehunga Fire Board, said an undue number of fires had occurred in Onehunga, especially in Lower Queen Street. It was the Fire Board’s intention, wherever the circumstances were suspicious, to ask for a coronial inquiry to ascertain the cause. James Maxwell Robertson, owner of the house, said he was at bis home a. 1 . Avondale .when informed of the fire. He paid £875 for the bouse two years ago. There was-' a inortgage of £535, and the house was insured for £650. After inspecting the building, lie concluded it had been set on fire, but lie could not say by whom. He did not know who would benefit by the fire. He certainly would not. He denied that his car was at Onehunga at 7.30 on the night of the fire. William Robert Wright, fisherman, who lives next door to Robertson’s house, said lie was told by two boys when lie was on Mangere Bridge on the night that'the house was on fire. He did not know- the boys and lie bad not seen them since he telephoned to the brigade. He knew nothing about the origin of the fire. He gave the alarm when a previous fire occurred at Ppbertson’s house. He bad given the alarm on other occasions in Onehunga and also in Auckland, including that at Winstone’s oil store. He was a-.fi ev wards interviewed by Detective Sinclair, but lie denied having told him it was up to them to catch him aiu' bring along their witnesses. He had given alarms of fire during the past five years. In answer to Mr Alexander, witness said there had been two fires on each, side of his house, making four in all, and he gave the alarm for all of them. He did not know anything about < deliberate attempt to burn Robertson’s and Cunningham’s houses. .Questioned by the Magistrate, Mr Levin, witness declared lie had no opinion of the origin of the fires, although he gave the alarms. He used wax matches. Harokl Hedges said he was riding a motor cycle through Onehunga on me : night of the fire, when he saw a five ) seater motor car pull away from .the fire and proceed up the street at a .slow pace. He did not know the ■ -driver, and could not recognise him .again. . ■ ' Charles Gilbert, Superintendent or -the Onehunga Fire Brigade, expressed htlie opinion that the house had been deliberately set on fire. He was satisfied there was kerosene on the floor where the fire was. It was significant ..that a person in Wright’s house would have a clear view through the window of anyone, moving about in Robert- • .son’s house. There had been an abnormal number of fires since July 24, and some of the alarms had been given by the Wright family. Detective Allen, who ’ inspected the fire .next morning, found three {burnt wax matches on the floor, also said it had been wilfully set on tire. The verdict was that the damage was caused by a fire lit by some person, or persons, unKnown.

- The Magistrate expressed the opinion that the inquiry, was quite warranted.