WAITRESS'S THEFTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 949, 16 April 1930, Page 18

WAITRESS'S THEFTS

ROOM SET ON FIRE TO COVER TRACKS GIRL ADMITS OFFENCES Press Association NELSON, Tuesday. A waitress at the Junction Hotel, Takaka, Doreen Rachel Mackay, aged IS years, was arrested on Saturday and appeared in the Courthouse at Takaka today, charged with setting tire to certain substances and articles of clothing in the Junction Hotel, thereby rendering the building -liable to catch fire. Blie was also charged with the theft of £l2 in money and goods to the value of £ll 15s 6d, the property of Rona Cross, school teacher. Rona Cross said she left her room at about 8 a.m. on April 7. On returning in the afternoon she learned that a tire had taken place in her room and that the bedclothes were saturated with kerosene. May Reilly, pantrymaid, said she saw smoke coming out of the window of Miss Cross’s room. She immediately gave the alarm. Alice Herdman, licensee of the hotel, gave evidence of finding clothing burning. Detective Sinclair said he interviewed accused, who admitted taking the money and clothing belonging to Miss Cross, and also to putting kerosene in the bedroom and setting fire to it to cover her tracks. The detective produced the following statement made by accused:—“l went into Miss Cross’s room and took some of her clothing and £5. I was wanting a coat and so I took the money. I took the clothing from Miss Cross’s Voom and put it in my case. In the evening I took some of the clothing and hid it outside. I threw- the purse eway and kept the money. I put some kerosene in a drawer and set fire to it.” Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at "Wellington for sentence.