FLAX FIRE CASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1590, 22 July 1916, Page 3

FLAX FIRE CASE.

SPEIRS V. WALL. The Shannon Jlax case was continued on Thursday afternoon, before Judge Edwards. G. H. Watt, in charge of Seifert’s stock, gave evidence that he went down to Blind Creek on the morning of February lltlth. There were a number of men engaged there then putting out tires on Seifert’s ground. These (ires were on AA'all’s side of Blind Creek, and had spread from Wall's property. Some standing bush was burning on AA’all’s boundary at (his lime, and witness heard Jensen, AValf’s foreman, order his men to lop some of the large trees to try and stay the (ire. On Friday day, March 10th, witness went down along (he Tokomaru because he had cattle running there 1 , and there was danger of tire in this quarter from Wail’s. ) To Sir John Findlay: Witness saw no lire on the east side of Hassett’s drain and spreading towards Wall’s boundary on March 10th. There was no (ire visible on Seifert’s and on that date.

Henry Gray, general swamp hand in Seifert’s employ, gave evidence as to-being sent by Muslin, Seifert’s swamp manager, on March 9th, to pick up fire-fighting appliances near Wall’s property, and whilst doing so examined AA’a It’s hush and found it on fire. There was no connection bet ween AVall’s lire and .Seifert’s lire. Seifert’s fire at this time was 40 chains away. Ho was an amateur photographer, and hearing there was going to ho trouble over Spoirs’ lit ix being burnt out, and also that AATill having said the fire came from Seifert’s when witness knew it did not come from Seifert’s, he took photos showing the places in AA’all’s which he saw alight on 'March oth. These were produced in Court.

W. Gordon, waterman, in the employ of Mr Jensen, and later in Mr ’Wall’s employ,,said that tiros were in Wall’s property from .February 25th lo March 11th, and were never out. He, assisted by Mr Jensen and Mr Edgar, was lighting tires on Mr Wall’s property about the middle of the week before Spoil's was burnt out.

J. Griffiths, mill hand, stated that he was on (ire preserve! ion duty in Seifert’s on Wall’s boundary from March 11th to March Kith, and detailed the progress of the tire from Wall’s property into Seifert’s flax towards Hassett’s drain and Tokomaru stream. G. E. Cook also gave evidence. Miss Jamieson gave, evidence as to Mr Edgar calling on Mr Eveleigh and telling him that the (ire in the hush was gelling over near Speirs’ tram line, but saying there was no danger. George Judd, farmer, Shannon, stated that tires were continuously on Wall’s properly during the latter end of February and beginning of March, with the smoke blowing

uver Speirs’ swamp. Further evidence was given yesterday for plaintiff by Thomas Melts, overseer for the Makermi Drainage Board, who said he went to Mali's property on March 81 h, and seeing Jensen lighting tires quite close to Speirs’ tramway. He also warned Jensen that he would burn Speirs out, but Jensen said it was- (j)iile sale.

Samuel Mitchell gave evidence relating to Mall’s Mrs! and second tires, the latter of which burnt Speirs out. He also gave expert evidence as to (lie qnanlilics of green leaf deslroped and damage green leal; destroyed and damage 28 to 30 lons of green leal: per acre on the burnt swamp. M. Jarvis’ evidence related to Mall’s lirst fire, and subsequently seeing other tires on Mall’s properly.

M. A. Speirs, plaintiff’s brother, gave evidence referring- to Mall’s first (ire, also to the (ires on March iOih and I Kb, when Mr Falgar I old him that Ihe lire in the bush was get! mg over towards plaintiff’s

tram. line and he was afraid it would be burned.