FIRE THAT SPREAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 688, 13 June 1929, Page 7

FIRE THAT SPREAD

DAMAGE TO ADJOINING PROPERTY COURT ACTION SUCCEEDS “Fire is a dangerous weapon and a person is liable for all damages caused by the use of it,” said Mr, F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. rpHE magistrate gave judgment for plaintiff when L. A. Rykers, of Devonport (Mr. Armstrong), proceeded against a neighbour, R. W. Duder (Mr. Allan Mood}-) for damages caused to his property through a fire lighted by defendant. According to the evidence, defendant owned some acres of gorse land adjoining plaintiff’s holding in Ngataringa Road, Devonport. On March 12 he had started a number of fires along the entire length of plaintiff’s frontage. The flames from the fire could be seen from the city side of the harbour, and the fire had spread backward over Rykers’s property. Defendant had made no offer to compensate the plaintiff for the considerable damage which had resulted. The magistrate, after viewing the property, said that defendant must make good the damage. The fire had been lighted for a proper purpose, but through accident or neglect it had been allowed to damage plaintiff’s property. Judgment was for damages and costs amounting to £23 2s.