STOREKEEPER ADMITS SETTING FIRE TO DARFIELD BUILDING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19270, 6 January 1931, Page 7

STOREKEEPER ADMITS SETTING FIRE TO DARFIELD BUILDING

Saw Bankruptcy Ahead And Did Not Want To Confess Business Failure.

BECAUSE he could see nothing but bankruptcy ahead William Pole, a storekeeper, aged 35, set fire to a store and dwelling at Darfleld—a fact which he admitted in a statement read in the Magistrate’s Court this morning by DetectiveSergeant O’Brien. Pole pleaded guilty to setting fire wilfully to a store and dwelling at Main Road, Darfleld, the property of Donald Gillanders, thereby committing arson. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, bail being allowed in two sureties of £IOO and self £IOO.

Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., was on the bench. Chief-Detective Carroll conducted the case for the police, and Mr Smithson represented the accused.

Chief-Detective Carroll said that the building which was set fire to was owned by Gillanders and occupied by accused. Accused had financial difficulties and could not make a success of his business. The fire was discovered before it had spread far. At the time Pale said that the place had been broken into and fired by someone else, but later admitted the offence to De-tective-Sergeant O’Brien. Donald Gillanders, the owner of the building, a farmer at Darfleld, said that Pole had occupied the place since 1923. Witness paid £9OO for the building in 1923, and it was insured for £BOO. There was also insurance on the fittings. On December 22, the building was found to be on fire. He inspected it next morning and found that the floor and part of the end of the store had been burnt. There was a pile of charred material on the floor. The damage would cost £ll 10s to repair. To Mr Smithson, witness said he had known Pole for years and had looked on him as a man of fine character —one of the best in the district. Albert William Bull, a labourer, of Darfleld, said that he was the man who found the store and dwelling alight. His attention was drawn by the glare in the windows. He and a friend went to the picture theatre and told Pole about it. Pole was standing just inside the door of the pictures. Witness and Pole went back to the store, where the flooring was found to be on fire. They extinguished it.

Constable Johns, of Darfleld, said that the accused drew his attention to two drawers which had been pulled out, and said that the place had been broken into and some money taken Witness made inquiries into the case and later interviewed Pole. Pole gave a statement in which he said that the place had been broken into and about £l4 in money and one of the ledgers taken. There was no fire brigade at Darfleld and the water supply was very poor. If the fire had not been discovered in its early stages the store and dwelling would have been burnt down. To Mr Smithson, the constable said that accused was a very respected man in the district. Detective-Sergeant O’Brien said he made further inquiries into the case. Pole made a statement to him admitting that he set fire to the store himself. Pole said he was in debt to the extent of £IOOO and his credit account was from £3O to £4O at the bank. He could see only bankruptcy ahead. He admitted piling up papers and books on the floor and setting fire to them. The story of the burglary was untrue. Had the fire been successful, he would probably have avoided bankruptcy. He did not like to admit failure in business. He was very sorry over the matter and the trouble that had been caused. To Mr Smithson, the detectivesergeant said that the money the accused would have received from insurances would not have been sufficidht to meet accused’s liabilities.