QUEER BEHAVIOUR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1047, 9 February 1911, Page 4

QUEER BEHAVIOUR.

S!*iEeWtf''HlS vHOMB.*.'

; . (By.VTeleßraph—Press "Association.).;.':;. •;'.••< .•- '"Auckland,, February -.£■.

Some' -rather ;-;di&lo6tfns were made by-rconnsej'appearing: »fbr*i a prisoner brought before Mf:! Justice Edwajds at-Auckland to-day. l ''

The prisoner, who had pleaded guilty at Waitti td-o, charge^of'committing' arsonl'was John William Butler,-a.middle-aged S man. . According to the statement made by STr. Heed, . the ..prisoner had lived in the, Wnihi district all his .life, andfor some years past resided-irith-his sister; a spinster, \till° ; recently. vHe had built. the cottage', ill' which: : they : lived, but had- inada'it fcver 'to', his sister.rFor, some • timV> the 1 sister---.'was tkeepipsr: cotii-' pany with; a;mah.'tbut-the /enßasement was ..broken. off;'': The" niin. : told - prisoner some.tinfamous;;story ''about his' sister's conduct; as the-result of; which,['/"in- a inaddeMd";state,?'accused -rushed- across the •Toad,' -t<j their: cottage, -frantically, smashed- the : furniture; to- smithereens,, and- set' fire to": the dwelling. stated that the accused bore an'excellent; character as'a quiet/, inoffensive, r sober, hard-working man; and lived on excellent •terms 'with his .sister., and■ neighbours. Nothing/ could explain his . conduct: on the occasion ■in - question,; but! the; fact that he had; been maddened; by-dragged drink and'by-snamefully cruel arid malicious stories about.his sister.j. ; '.- r ;■ /.-,"

: His 'Honour: If'■ he?,is : a- decent : ; man,: he -must explain'why :he* listened'jto'-a man P whom ".■; ho ■ distasted, instead iof thrashing, him.- ':•::'^-i<'Kfc:;;.:d-;V' S[r.',Reed: ; lt seems incredible'that such,! a quietman would conunitan actVof the kind.-;- . ; V-\ •'■';'*■'•-"/. •■ ■.■■" ;./.; :^i:.-, ~ r :%. Vi*.{'

■His . Honour: It seems : incredible that lie listened' to' the story about his' sister. That is what I can't understand. : ;:vt

•A letter was read from-the sister, ackn"owledging\that her. brother had "always beensgoodto her, and generally, bearinfr out what counsel had said 6n-behalf ot

prisoner. '. ?',;'■... .~>.~-L: : -' ';}■''.."■-■'■' ! Ki ;r ; ;.?His Honour:-He has burned'his future, and must make.''good, in-the lons, run' 'whaitihei has destroyed.'•v'.o,; -'.'V- i'.'x'r'-y

Prisoner, stated' that' He; was earning 9s. 63. a day, and had been cniployed;-by the -WaihiJ Company for the.last' twelra months without aw broken time.;-- »■':- '..The,house was insnredfor .£lso,"and the furniture for The,sister ;esti-; mated Tier. loss at 2347 10s.- -.:.:.:;; ;x-'

* His Honour said that he did not .want ♦»-.send .prisoner to.gaol, but he:would have to make some proposal to satisfy :th9 claim of-the insurance andithe loss suffered by the ■ sister. ' He- did hot think- the" offence was, exactly'a; probation matter, but he could order; prisoner to..:come,.up forisentencorwhea'caUfd upon.'.-,:''.-,''■■."'. ; .■.'.-•:•"''*.'.•::-!'^ ! -'-.' : v : " v\V;;-'; ; ■'•''-=- .Sentence, was deferred for a fortnight, and;accused'was released to jive him an opportunity, of. making arrangements vjtb the insurance company and his Sister. .;