Two Accused Reverse Pleas At Arson Trial

Chronicle (Levin), 1 November 1948, Page 5

Two Accused Reverse Pleas At Arson Trial

WELLINGTON, NOV. 1. 'Tiie tri'al of "five m&ri'Aharged with conspiring and committing arson by setting fli*e tb the ndniber four shed of the R.N.2.A.F. station at Rongotai, Wellington, on September 25, 1945, began in the Supreme Court, Wellington, today, before Mr. Justice Cornish. Two of the accused, Aiexandef Lynn Mclntosh, aged 26, farm labourer, and Leslie Arthur George Lloyd, aged 28, aircfaftsman, reversed their Lower Cburt pleas of not guilty to pleas of guilty. Two other ttieii, Francis Flston Wallis, aged 20, tram conductor, and Hugh Norman Montgomery, aged 22, tally clerk, previously pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court. The three who today pleaded not guilty are ETic Vincent Shea, aged 21, greengrocer, Ernest Roy Unsworth, aged 20, farm labourer, and Frederick Charles Boniface, aged 22, aircraftsmah.

Outlining the Crown case, the Crown prosecutor, Mr. W. H> CUnningham, said that the fife caused a net loss of over £822,000 to the store housing a great quantity OI wool. Although the police had made seafching inquirieS, cbntinued Mr. Cunningham, it Was not until July of this year that they were abie to appfehend the seven men, who h&d fbfmed the fire crew of the establishment.

The cause of the fire. said Mr. Cunningham, was that the men had heard the station was to be closed down, in which case it was very probable that the fire crew woiild have been disbanded. "in services language," said Mr. Cunningham, "the fife crew thought they had a pretty cushy job ahd did not waht to be depfived of it." The crew's case was that the fire was prepared by pouring two four-gallon tins of petrol, taken from a crashed tehder, oh to the wool and Settihg fire to it. Montgomery, said Mr. Cunninghatn, poured the petrol and Wallis, after lightning it, cycled past the gUard and gave the alarm. Other members of the crew who had ruffled their beds and pUt on their uhiforms over their pyjamas then tufned out to fight the fire, but it had taken a hold and their effOfts were unsuccessful. The case is proceeding.