Court Sequel To Dramatic Arrest

Chronicle (Levin), 7 January 1949, Page 4

Court Sequel To Dramatic Arrest

Press Association )

(Per

WELLINGTON, Jan. 7. The sequel to a 'dramatic arrest on the roof of Matheson Minster's Warehouse, Victoria Screet, last night was the appearance in the Magistrate's Court today before the Magistrate, Mr. J. S. Hanna, of John Henry Burbridge, tailor's cutter, aged 28, charged with an attempt to break into the warehouse and also of being found on the roof of the warehouse without lawful exeuse, but in circurnstances that did not disclose the commission of or intention to commit any other offence. The police withdrew the first charge and Burbrrdge pleaded guilty to the second. For the police Senior Detective Callaghan said that accused had been seen inspecting fanlights on the roof. It was significant tiiat Burbridge had been employed' by the firm as a tailor's cutter last year. On November 19 he was released from Paparua Prison. "I am interesfced in painting," said accused to the Bench. "I went up on to the roof in order to find a view for a painting I want-to 'do I wanted to paint a bombed out area, and that burnt out building (the scene of a disastrous fire some -years ago) is the next best thing we have." Senior Detective Callaghan sa'd it was strange that, he had confinerd his attention to the fanlights and windows. ' The Magistrate, in sentencing Burbridge to 21 days' gSbl, said his explanation seemed a "pretty thin one."