ALLEGED INCENDIARISM AT MOUNT THOMAS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1921, 21 April 1880, Page 3

ALLEGED INCENDIARISM AT MOUNT THOMAS.

At the Magistrate's Court, Rangiora, on Tuesday, before J. Beswick, X'.'sq., R M., A. H. Cunningham and H. Blackett, ilpqs., the case of William Major was taken. Mr Inspector Buckley conducted the prosecution, Mr G. Douglass appeared for accused. 1 he charge was to the effect that accused on March 24th wilfully set fire to two stacks of wheat and two of oat}, tbe same being his property, and on Hnd rented by him, with intent to defraud the Standard Insurance Company. Sergeant Wheatloigh gave similar evidence relative to the position of the stacks, the finding of horse shoe prints pointing in the direction of a hut on the property, and similar impressions in a gully leading (o the Gary liivor and at a slip panel. The four stacks in this information were in pairs close together, with a space of lift, between each pair to admit a threshing machine. They were 25 chains 50 links from a group on fire on Jarvis Wilson's property, and 16 chains from another group also on fire. The stubble had not taken fire. Ou the 25th the stacks were still on fire. The fire was in the centre, and three of them were standing to nearly their fall height. There were eight stacks not burned on Major's wound, viz., four of barley, three wheat, and one oats. Between this group and those bnrned there was a distance of twenty-six chains. R. Aherne, journalist, gave evidence that on April 7th he accompanied Sergeant Wheatleigb to Mount Thomas, and assiste.: to measure the distances as stated on the plan. Detective Benjamin deposed that he arrested the accused at West iCyreton on April Ist. Ho made the following statement:—" i am a farmer at West Kyreton, .Tarvis Wilson and I routed 300 acres from Mr B'own, at Mount Thomas. We were mutes in last year's crop, but not in this year's, We farmed 150 acres separately. I harvested this year's crop and had a number of stacks in the padd ;ck. I cannot say how many stacks there were. I last si.w thera all ri-.'ht on Jlu ch 21th, when I was in the paddock with Wilson about 0 p.m. We went in the slip panel off Birch Hill road to tbe hut. We did not go within eight or ten ohairis of a v y of the .'-tacks. We stayed at the hnt a short ii;ue while Wilson was looking for hh horses. I saw no cue when at the paddock, except a man who was riding a horse and leading another, on the Birch Hiil road going in the direction of Birch Hill. We wore then going in at the flip panel from the Birch Hill read, and were about twenty chains from the stacks. Wo left the land about (i p.m., and went to the Cust Hotel, and arrived there between 8 and 9 p.m. We stayei there till about closing time, and wont to West Eyreton. I know of no person who had any ill will towards us. I first heird of the fire on Thursday (25th ) Wilson told mo he bad been to see after his horses at the paddock, and that one lot of my stacks, including two of oats and two of wheat, and to the best of my know-

ledge two of his (Wilson's) hid been huraed." When witness arrested accused he told him he had a warrant for him. Accused said, " all right." Witnessexplained the charge, and aocußed said, " Well, I know nothing about it." On March 31th examined the land ; there was ne connection between the fires of the different groups. The stubble was full of green grass, and would not burn. J. Dumphy, teamster at Wicholls' Hayland Btation. said on March 24th he was returning with two draught horses from Rangiora to Hayland, past accused's land, about 6 p.m., and saw two men on horseback gjing in at the slip panel. One was a heavy dratight horse. From Hayland station, three and a halfmiles from the paddock, saw three l„ts of stacks on fire—all burning at the same time—in Wilson and Major's paddock. G. Alio way and Patrick Kavanagh gave similar evidence to that given by them last week in Wilson's case. Geo. King, corn factor, Christchurch, stated he knew accused. Last year he had seed and cash advances from witness, and gave him an agricultural lien on forty acres barley, fifty wheat, and forty of oats, situate at Mount Thomas, as security for .£l5O advanced. Witness insured his risk for .£IOO with the Standard Company on Jan. 17th. On Jan. 31st accused asked witness to re-in-sure hi 3 crop for .£SOO. in addition to the insurance already effected. Witness ol.jecled, and asked him what he based his valuation upon for the additional amount. He gave his estimated yield at 40 bush la per all round. Witness told his clerk to rnn off the valuations, and finding a margin on ,£soo, consented to an additional insurance of .£3OO. This was eff 3i-ted with the Standard Company. This expired on the same date as the first policy, on April 17tb. The total advances to accused were «.bont .£IBO. Witness insured th=> crop to cover his risk, and in the event of a fire the balance between the amount due by accused and the insurance would ba paid to him. On the Saturday after the fire accused reported a portion of his crop was burned, and asked witness to put in a claim for the insurance. Witness thou asked him to write him particulars as to t>e fire. He did so, and sent a letter on March 31st, whieh staged—"l inclose statement of loss. There are about twentyeight acres wheat and twenty acres oats burned, and to the best of my belief my loss is ,£?00 10s." The price of grain rnlim? at the time of the fire wa3—Wheat, 3s 9.1 to 4s; barley. Is 6d to 3s 9d ; oats, Is I'd to Is 6d. Thioias Fisher, managor Standard Insurance Company, gav« evidence of proposals made for insurance of .£IOO and .£3OO on crops growing on R S. 2 066, 20390, 33207, 4'77, 3491, 31491, 25065. and 31320, at West Eyreton, Ashley county. The wheat was stated to be fifty acres, oats forty, and barley forty. The insurance would expire on April 17th. Have been notified of the fire, but have not paid the claim. By Mr Douglas— Mr King gave notice of the fire. He did not make any claim J. Wallace »nd D Brown gave evidence relative to the value of the crops when growing. The accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial at the next session of the Supreme Court Bail was accepted and was immediately forthcoming.