THE OWHATA FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14143, 19 August 1909, Page 6

THE OWHATA FIRE.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND.

SUPREME COURT HEARING.

The adjourned heaving of the charge of arson preferred against Wilson Stuart Adams, formerly night watchman at the Mitchelson Timber Company's mill, Owhata, in the Kaitaia district, in connection with the burning of the schoolhouse and another building at Owhata, was continued at the Supreme Court yesterday, before Mr. Justice Edwards and a juryTaurere Tipene stated that the accused had not the slightest grounds for suggesting that witness was jealous of the schoolmaster at Owhata. They "were on the best of terms. Witness saw the prints of bare feet, which were discovered on the sea beach leading from the demolished school, building. In his opinion, they were the marks of a European, and not of a Maori.

Edith Herbert, a Maori school girl, with an English name, stated that the accused had, in the presence of witness, asked her mother if he could take her away. Her parent replied that he could , not, because witness had to go to school. Accused afterwards told her that he would burn the school eo that she would not have to go. The day following the unsuccessful attempt to destroy the building accused told her that ho had taken some shavings and kerosene from the mill to try and burn it. He said he intended to make another attempt. After the building had been destroyed witness remarked to accused that she had seen the fire, and he only laughed. Just before the school was to be opened in another cottage he said he would set fire to that also, so that he could take witness away. After the fire he said, "There is no school now," and asked her to run away with him. She refused,. and shortly afterwards accused went away, promising to -write to her. He did not do so, and witness refrained from felling anyone what he had said about the fires, because he asked her not to.

Cross-examined: Accused bought clothing for her, with the intention that she should go to Northcote with him. and assist in his strawberry garden, which was then in charge of his sister. He said he was living apart from his wife, who was in America, but he told witness that he would send for her.

Detective Cox said that -when arrested at his fruit garden, Greenhithe, accused remarked, "I can assure you that this is a surprise to me." Witness took the measurement of his feet, and the size tallied fairly well -with the footprints on' the Owhata beach. Witness knew that a man named Frederick Wilkins, who took up the position of night watchman vacated by the accused, had pleaded guilty to causing a, still more recent fire at Owhata. In a signed statement Wilkins stated that he set the place on fire "to screen Bill Adams.' 1 Wilkins was now awaiting his trial.

Altogether 16 witnesses, . many of them natives, were called for the prosecution. The Court adjourned at 5.30 p.m. until 10 o'clock this morning, when the case for the defence will be commenced.