Woman Admits Trying To Set Fire To A Maternity Home

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 September 1950, Page 5

Woman Admits Trying To Set Fire To A Maternity Home

AUCKLAND, Yesterday, (P.A.).— Rata Mathews, aged 19, a domestic, at the Bethany Maternity Home, Grey Lynn, pleaded guilty in the Police Court today to wilfully setting lire to paper and wood placed in such a way that she knew the home was likely to catch lire. Justices of the Peace committed her to the Supreme Court for sentence. Acting-Detective H. G. Dalton stated in evidence that he believed Mathews tried to burn down the hospital “as an act of revenge because of the way people had been treating her.” Detective Dalton read a statement to the Court which he ->ud accused had made. She stated: “1 decided to burn the home down because other girls were teasing me about being out late at night and the matron was growling at me.” Lucia Melba Parkinson, who was In charge of the two-storyed home, testified that the accused’s mother had asked witness not to allow the girl’s male friend to see her. The fire occurred on August 11 under part of the building where firewood was stored, but witness did not suspect it was caused deliberately. Another fire broke out on the evenin'; of August 27 close to where the previous one had been. There were then 17 mothers and babies in thq hospital. A fire brigade officer gave evidence that the lire was easily extinguished.