FIRE AT RACECOURSE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22473, 7 January 1943, Page 2

FIRE AT RACECOURSE

Young Soldiers Court

Martialled

Evidence of several hundred pounds worth of damage following a fire at a racecourse property occupied by troops was given at court-martial proceedings in the Wellington district when Corporal James Edward Kelleher, 20. and Driver Peter Olliver, 19, New Zealand Army Service Corps, were charged with conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline in negligently setting fire to straw in a stable in which Army property was stored and which was attached to other stables occupied by troops as sleeping quarters and negligently failing to extinguish the fire, thereby causing the destruction of and damage to Army property to the value of £l2O and civilian property to the value of £478.

The Court found both accused guilty of the charge with the exception that it was not definitely proved beyond reasonable doubt that the resultant damage to property arose from the negligent acts of the accused. Kelleher was reduced to the ranks and fined £4. in default 10 days’ imprisonment.

Olliver was fined £4, in default 10 days’ imprisonment. A quartermaster told the Court that the loss of Army stores, equipment and gear, as the result of the fire, was £165, and in respect of personal gear lost by individual soldiers £76. Tire secretary of a racing club which owns the land on which the camp concerned is established, said a line of loose-boxes valued at £3OO was destroyed and adjacent stalls damaged to the extent of £45. A builder said tools and equipment valued at £44. which he had stored in the loose-boxes, were destroyed. A carpenter said he lost £l7 worth of tools.

The defending officer said both accused had good characters. They were in open arrest 79 days before the courtmartial and were the victims of temporary folly, possibly due to indulgence in liquor.