MAGISTERIAL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVIII, Issue 78, 31 March 1892, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

♦ Blenheim, Thursday, March 31st, 1892. (Before Mr J. Allen, 8.M.) ' WILFUL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. __ Alexander Waller wag charged with hav- \ ing while m charge of an engine belonging to the Wakamarina Gorge Gold Mining ' Company purposely injured and damaged it, the same being an indictable offence. Mr Sinclair appeared for the Company, and Mr McCallum for the defendant. Mr Sinclair stated the particulars briefly. The accused was an engineer engaged by the Company, and was, according to his own account, a competent man. There had been a series of troubles with the engine, and on-Sunday evening Mr Purser and Mr Goodman found the accused tampering with the engine by removing nuts from two of the bolts. The theory of the prosecution was that the accused wished to stop the progress of the work, especially as the bearings had previously been too closely screwed down. Mr Sinclair did not propose to go very fully into the evidence at that stage, but considered there v/an safficient forthcoming evidence to secure a committal. E. Purser, legal manager of the Wakamarina Gorge Mining Company, which ifl registered under the Mining Companies Act 1882, said accused was employed by tht Comyany for four months last season, and had been acting as care- 7 taker m the off season till they began active work again early m March. Witness arrived at the mine on the 24th March, remaining there till the 28th. At midnight on the 26th went to the engine ; . and found the drum rattling a good deal. ' On Sunday morning was shown a bolt (produced) by one Goodman,- and on looking at [ the engine found one similar to it missing . m the drum that works the circular saw. They replaced it, adding ' instead of a washer a loose nut. On Sunday morning saw the accused about the engine, and he screwed up the bearings, but shortly after the bearings were so hot that water had to be poured .on them. Accused said the steam always made them hot. The breakdown took place at 7.30 on Sunday morn-, ing when Waller was in charge, and witness was about 2 chains off m a whare. Heard a sound like an explosion and rushed down, and found Waller there, and he said the crank had broken. Found the crank so hot that he could not keep his hand on it. As it was dark he got another lantern and ' found, that two bolts had bad the nuts taken off them, which would cause them to get entangled with the injector rod. . Examined by Mr McCallum : I Witness acknowledged that he had not maoh experience of a steam engine, and was not accustomed to machinery. By the Bench : Saw Accused tighten up the keys himself. At this stage the Court adjourned, and -the case, by oonsent, was adjourned till 10 o'olook to-morrow.