ARSON CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1933, Page 5

ARSON CASE

NEW PLYMOUTH SUSPECT,

(SEQUEL TO THEFT CHARGE-

(Per Press Association-* Copyright .)

NEW PLYMOUTH, July 26.

Frederick John Cowling was charged at the Police Court this morning with stealing, on or t about May, 1932, four doors and seven window-sashes, valued at £9 15s, the property of the New '(Zealand State Advances Department

‘‘ls it one the circumstances of this case that this was a case of' theft •concealed ’by .arson of a building?” the Magistrate asked Detective Meiklejohn. ‘ • The Detective: “Yes, sir.”

This decided the Magistrate, who said that he would not hea.r the charge summarily. The evidence of Sergeant McGregor, Detective Kearney, and one, Gibson, a foreman builder, was heard and the case was then adjourned till Friday.

The police story was that the house, had previously been occupied 'by x one Parkes, in Weston, a suburb, and it had been burned. Armed with a search warrant, the police visited •C’owlitlig’e house, and questioned Cowling regarding doors and windowsashes in his house. Cowling had had Ins own house built after a fire. Cowling was hostile to the police. Regarding some of the doors and windows, he made the explanation that he had built them himself. 'He bought the others, 'but refused to say where he had purchased the timber. Cowling was also questioned regarding tubs and other fittings. Cowling’s solicitor was summoned and the police removed ,the dooivj and window sashes. The foreman builder, who had supervised the building of Parkes’ house, and later that of Cowling, said that he had identified some of the dnohs and sashes -taken from 'Cowling’s house eg those he had built into Parkes’ house,