ARSON AND THEFT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 200, 16 April 1932, Page 2

ARSON AND THEFT

SIX CHARGES MAN COMMITTED TO AUCKLAND SUPREME COURT FOR SENTENCE CASES AT TAUPO COURT Pleading guilty to six indictable charges, five of arson and one of breaking, entering and theft,' Edward : Leonard Clapham, of Waikare Bush, Taupo, when he appeared yesterday before Messrs R. F. Hutchin arid Ralph W. Ward J'sP. at the Police Court, Taupo, was committed for sentence to the Supreme Court, Auckland on all charges Clapham was charged with breaking and entering on or about March 28. a shop owned by Robert Palmer, and stealing groceries, foodstuffs, tobacco, clothing and 7/6 in money. of a total value of £3 14/10. Clapham was also charged with having wilfully set fire to a whare owned by Niwa Taituha and others, a one roomed whare owned by Jane Stevenson Grierson, a two roomed whare the property of Ngahenui He- . mapo, a house belonging to Tiria Ataria and a hut the property of Henry Rameka. Employee's Evidence Hubert John Hall, ari employee of Robert John Palmer at Waikare Bush, said that on March 28, he diseovered that the premises had been broken into, and telephoned Constable Brown at Taupo. He remembered closing the shop on March 24 at about 5.30 p.m. The side of the shop had been broken into through a window from which the putty had been removed. The opening was large enongh for a man's hand, and apparently the intruder had lifted the catch. Tins of jam, salmon. a notebook, corned beef, sardines and various groceries were missed by Hall, also a pair of trousers which he identified when produced in court. He was unable definitely to state the value of the property, but thought that £3 11s was a fair estimate. Regular Customer Accused had been- a regular customer at the shop and was well known to witness. Constable W. J. Brown, stationed at Taupo, said that he arrested accused at Taupo on April 4 and on searching him at the police station, found in his possession a pair of denims, a faee towel, a handkerchief, tin opener, enamel mug, two packets of cigarette papers and a note book. Accused had admitted that he had stolen these articles and other property from Palmer's store on March 28. Clapham had denied taking the total amount of the property as stated by complainant. He had been known to the Constable as Ted Brown. Building Burned Niwa Taiti^ said that he was a labourer residing at Waikare Bush and a part owner of a two roomed whare valued at abont £20. Taitn stated that on March 28, he had diseovered that the building had been burned down. There was some furniture in the building belonging to another Maori. There was no portion of the building or its contents left, it being completely destroyed. Admitted Charges Accused when interviewed by Constable Brown on April 15, had admitted burning the whare and had signed a statement to that effect. The constable knew that accused was in the loeality at about the time of the fire. Evidence was also given by Ngakenui Hemopo, Tiria Ataria, Henry Rameka and Jane Stevenson Grierson, that on the dates in question their various premises had been burned in their absence. All had been completely destroyed, though some were unfurnished and at the time of destruetion unoccupied. The buildings were i valued at between £10 and £20. In each cass Constable Brown said that in an interview on April 15, Clapham had given and signed statements admitting arson. The accused was committed to the Supreme Court, Auckland, for sentence.