YOUNG MEN SENT FOR TRIAL FOR ARSON

Grey River Argus, 16 September 1948, Page 5

YOUNG MEN SENT FOR TRIAL FOR ARSON

' Big Wool Loss At Rongotai in 1946 Fire WELLINGTON, Sept- 16 Allegations that seven Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel —six of them members of the fire crew, and one a. guard—conspired to set fire to Number 4 shed, Rongotai which was packed with wool, 010 that they couid effect a smart save in the hope that the crew would not then be disbanded, after the stations close were made in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington. Two pleaded guilty to both charges, and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Five others pleaded not guilty, and were committed for trial. Bail was allowed. . Seven men before Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M., were to-day charged first, with conspiring to commit arson by wilfully setting fire to No. 4 shed at the R.N.Z.A.F. station at Rongotai, on September 25, 1946, and, secondly, with wilfully setting fire to No. 4 shed and thereby committing arson. Three of the men, who had been previously remanded were: Hugh Norman Montgomery, aged 22, a tally clerk; Francis Elston Wallis, aged 20, a tram conductor; and Alexander Lynn Mclntosh aged 26, a farm labourer. The other four who appeared on summons were: Eric Vincent Shea, aged 21, a delivery assistant; Ernest Roy Unsworth, Frederick Charles Boniface, R.N.Z.A.F., and Leslie Arthur George Lloyd, R.N.Z.A.F. Chief Detective Compton, assisted by Detective-Sergeant Hogan, conducted the police case. B. E. Parkinson, flight lieutenant and staff ■ officer, Air Department, Wellington, described the construction of No. 4 shed, which belonged to the Government Air Department. Its floor space was given as 180,000 square feet and together with two sheds at the back of the store was valued at £179,980. One entrance to No. 4 shed was through a building known as the “sound shell.” Thomas Edward Williams, watchman employed at the exhibition buildings at the time of the fire, said he had examined No. 4 shed at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., on September 24. There was no, evidence of fire when he left. He saw no unauthorised person about the premises. Wing Commander J. R. S. Agar, then officer commanding the R.N.Z.A.F. station at Rongotai, said that on the night of the fire, Mclntosh, Lloyd, Boniface, Shea, Unsworth, and Montgomery were on duty in No. 4 store, the firemaster being Corporal Mclntosh.

Statements by Accused to Police Detective-Ssergeant Long said that as a result of his inquiries concerning the fires at Rongotai and Ohakea ne interviewed Shea and told him he had information that a member of the fire crew arid a guard were responsible for the Rongotai fire. Shea had made the following statement: — “Before the big lire there was talk of the fire crew being disbanded, and the station closing down. Mclntosh .approached me on one occasion and 'said he thought we should have a fire to keep the fire crew on.” The statement added that, another time, when Boniface and Montgomery were present, Mclntosh suggested that Shea light the fire. "Several times Mclntosh said it was time we had a fire. He -•meant that it should be deliberately lit. No one had told me who lit the fire.” Detective-Sergeant Long said on August 14, 1948, Shea made a further statement, as follows: "On the night of the fire Mclntosh told Unsworth and me that we would have a fire so that the fire section would be kept on. Mclntosh said the fire would be in No. 4 wool shed and would be started by petrol from a crashed tender. McIntosh told Lloyd to get two four-gal-lon tins from the crashed tender. McIntosh then said to ring Montgomery and Boniface at their private residences. I do not wish to disclose the names of these people. This would be about 1 a.m. “I remember Mclntosh saying they must get back as there was going to be trouble. They were to get a taxi and come in the back way. I remember Boniface coming back half an hour before the fire. I was told by Mclntosh to light the fire, but refused. He then told Montgomery to do so, but I did not hear what happened. “Mclntosh said the fire section would turn out when the alarm went off. We were told to pull our uniforms over the top of our pyjamas and ruffle our beds to make them look as though they had been slept in. Lloyd stayed in the watchroom. We could not get the fire out. Mclntosh said we would tell the police about the fire but not how it happened. Mclntosh said if anyone squealed they would be dragged over the point. “As far as Haldane (the nightwatchman) is concerned I do not know what he did. Mclntosh planned the whole fire.” ANOTHER ACCUSED'S STATEMENT Frederick Charles Boniface, another of the accused, in a statement, produced by Detective-Sergeant Long, said that he was a member of the fire crew at the time of the fire. He had heard Mclntosh mention that there should be a fire, this statement said. , „ . . Boniface made made a further statement, four days later, in which he said that he (Boniface) and Montgomery were on leave on August 24 and 25. Mclntosh rang them, and recalled them to the station. * Mclntosh s idea was to throw petrol on the wool in Number Four shed. Mclntosh said that after the alarm went we were to wait and then to come out to make it look’ as though we had to get out of Boniface who was driving the fire tender was knocked out by a piece of fa The g Statement added: “William Haldane, the nightwatchman, had nothing to do with the arrangements concerning the fire. that he felt responsible for Haldane committing suicide. He also said that he was going to drive himself over Moa Point.” ■

Several More Accused Make Admissions P.A. WELLINGTON, Sept. 15 At the hearing of the arson charges, Detective-Sergeant Long also read a statement by Lloyd, made on July In this Lloyd alleged that the whole set-up had been arranged and ordered by Mclntosh. ■ .. . a ' Montgomery, in a statement _ he made, corroborated the facts as given by others. It,said: "I’carried one of the petrol tins to the shed, and Wallis took the other. In the shed we emptied both tins on the wool. After the fire I heard Mclntosh tell Shea that, if he opened his mouth about the fire, he would pay for it. xMclntosh was the only person responsible for lighting the fire.” The accused Wallis also made a statement, saying that Mclntosh had approached him during the evening before the fire. “I went to Number Four Shed and threw a match into

the petrol and the fire started,” said Wallis. MCINTOSH’S VERSION Detective-Sergeant Long said when he first interviewed Mclntosh, the latter said to him: “What’s the joke. Witness had replied that it was no joke, and told him that Montgomery and Wallis had appeared before a Wellington court that morning on a charge of arson. Mclntosh then made ■a statement, in which he said that he was now a married man working on a farm at Masterton. “The fire was suggested by way of a joke, and ended up a reality,” read the statement, which concluded: ‘Everyone was in agreement with having a fire. Boniface and Montgomery were more interested than others. Wallis was very keen to join the fire crew. I thought I at least would be kept on. I did not prevent action or advise against it.” , . , , , . „ The value of the big shed and two adjacent small' ones was £179,800 said Flight-Lieutenant B. E. Parkinson in evidence. The secretary of the Wool Commission, James McDonald, said the commission had haa 26,978 bales of wool stored in No. 4 shed at the time of the fire, its value being £661,555 18s 3d. It had been the joint property of the New Zealand' and United Kingdom Governments. . The chief clerk of the State Fire. Insurance Head Office, James Lawrence Inkster, said his office held an insurance cover on the wool. As a result of the Ire, it paid out ,^ Q ™ for £661,555 18s 3d. From the dis posal of wool not destroyed by me £90,739 6s was recovered. Tins meani an actual loss by fire of £a70,616 12s 3d. Air Department equipment, including two aircraft, * 26 ae o pines and a five-ton truck, of a total value of £70,113 had been destroyed. Evidence of the loss of Private ei fects of total value of £3112 14s m was given by other witnesses. A world. 2 record-breaking motor-car the Thunderbolt, which had been on dis plav at the exhibition was also deMr J MacFarlane Laing, for MeIntosli an“ Mr G. G. Kent for Unsworth and. Bonface submitted Ju. prima facie cases had not been nrnved against their clients Mr McLachlan. S.M., after hearing the prosecutor, Chief Detective ± H. Compton, found that prima facie cases had been proved. Hugh Norman Montgomery, aged 22 tally clerk, and Francis Elston Wffilis aged 20 tram conductor bo n pleaded guilty and weie committed fo ASnde C r Lynn Mclntosh aged 26 farm labourer; Eric Vincent Shea 91 delivery assistant. Ernest it j Unsworth 19, farm labourer; Leslie Sibur George Lloyd, leading airfAd Frederick Chares Bonfac ft , 21 > aircraftsman, who pleaded not guilty, were committed f °Defence counsel were Messrs A. J. Mazengarb (for Wallis), C. JO’Regan (for Lloyd and Stewart) and Hardie for Montgomery). Shea I was not represented.