QUARREL BEFORE TRAGERDY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 795, 16 October 1929, Page 1

QUARREL BEFORE TRAGERDY

Scene on Himatangi Farm

FIRE INQUEST CONTINUES Neighbour Uses Field Glasses (Special to THE SUN) ' FOXTON, Today. WITNESSES continued their evidence yesterday afternoon, describing the life and conditions on the Westlake farm at Himatangi, when the inquest on the recent tragic fire in which eight people died was continued at Foxton. During the morning lengthy medical evidence was given concerning the identification of the eight bodies. In tlie afternoon neighbours described the house and the feeling among its occupants. When the inquiry was continued this morning evidence was given covering the movements of the family in the few days before the fire.

Detective H. H. Russell, described yesterday the examination of the j rains and the location and removal of the remains. He I discovered a double-barrelled shotgun in Westlake's bedroom. He had at- , :ended the post mortem and he corroborated the medical evidence as to ; there being no trace of poison discovered. Twelve shotgun cartridges, 11 ! oi which hail been fired by percussion ! were found. The locks of the doors . were unlocked. Full inquries in the locality had failed to find any strangers in the neighbourhood and no poison had been supplied to the occupants from retailers or farmers. He had ascertained that Westlake’s financial position was very sound, and that his affairs had been conducted in a methodical and business-like manner. ! Wright was sharemilking on a 40-60 basis, and was employed for two months, but no cream cheque had been paid out. The Dairy Farmers’ I'nion held a bill of sale for £SOO on Wright’s stock and implements. Before joining Westlake Wright had been linancially embarrassed. Thomson, the other adult male victim, had been an employees of Wright’s and had neither assets or liabilities. In reply to Mr. Peterson he said »hat there were no cartridges in the breech of the gun when it was found. He could not say whose skull it was with the hole in it. Maurice Cadogan, k schoolboy living aearby, saw Thomson driving a farm cart toward Westlake's homestead at 11 a.m. on the day of the tragedy. Harry Coles, a police arms officer, identified the shotgun as belonging to and registered by Wright. William Hooker gave evidence as to 'he hour of the fire, which was about 11.30 p.m. on September 6. William Hines, a neighbouring farmer about a mile and a-half from Westlake’s, took charge of the farm after the fire and used an axe to cut up a dead calf with which to feed Westlake’s pigs. The axe was subsequently found by Mr. Robinson. Gertrude Morey King, a neighbour on intimate terms with Mrs. Wright, said the occupants of the house were on good terms. Wright was particularly fond of his children, and she had never heard anything to lead her to believe that Wright did not get on well with all the inmates. A stranger could easily locate the homestead. Kauri Patea, a shepherd oil an adjoining estate, detailed his discovery of the smouldering ruins ou the morn'ug after the tragedy, John Symon, a blacksmith, had business dealings with Westlake on the Mternoon preceding the fire, when he usd appeared in good health. Constable Owen described his infection of the ruins and the recovery W the bodies. inquest was then adjourned till

When the inquest was resumed this morning, important evidence regarding what would appear to be an argument which had taken place on the Westlake’s farm a few days before the tragedy and which had been Observed by a neighbour through a pair of field-glasses, was given. The first witness was James George Coley, a labourer, of Foxton, who said that on Friday, September 6 last, he had seen a man whom he now knew to be Westlake between 9 and 10 o’clock in the morning going to Foxton along the Himatangi Road. He had seen him again returning some time between 4 and 6 o’clock on the afternoon of the same day about a quarter of a mile on the Foxton side of the gate leading from the road to his property. illiam Maurice Griffin, a foreman employed by Mr. Renton, on the Barber Estate, said that he had spoken to Westlake about four days previous to the tragedy. Wright had come along during the conversation and Wright and Westlake appeared to be ou very good terms with each other. Some days before the fire he had been standing on a ridge about a mile from Westlake’s farm. He had a pair of field glasses with him and could obtain a clear view of the house. He had seen three men out in front of Westlake’s house. When he had first seen them the three had been together. One, whom he took to be Thompson, walked away from the other two, whom witness had taken to be Wright and Thompson. He ran back and repeated the movement on several occasions. PECULIAR BEHAVIOUR “Although I was not terribly interested, I thought their behaviour peculiar, and formed the opinion at the time that they were having an argument,” said witness. So far as he knew Wright, Westlake and Thomson were the only men on the property, and it would take a stranger a long time to find the house. He had, however, not known of any disagreement between the parties on Westlake’s farm. In reply to a question from Mr. Peterson, witness said that when he had seen Westlake a few days before the fire he had passed a remark that Wright was one of the fairest men he had met. In response to a further question, witness said that he could not positively the three men he had observed through his field glasses as Wright, Westlake and Thompson. He had concluded that an argument was taking place by the demeanour of the smallest man, whom he took to be Thompson-. There was nothing in the demeanour of the other two men to show that they were active participants in an argument. (Proceeding.!