“NICE NEIGHBOUR”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 973, 16 May 1930, Page 10

“NICE NEIGHBOUR”

SET FIRE TO FRIEND’S CURTAINS ' CONFLICT OF EVIDENCE “She’s a nice neighbour,” commented Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.. at the Police Court this morning, convicting Delia Connor on a charge of causing wilful damage. The evidence showed that 1 the woman had been refused admittance to her friend’s house, as she was under the influence .of liquor. It was alleged that defendant had raised the kitchen window and fired the curtains • and the blind. Connor, who appeared on summons, was charged with committing mischief ; by wilfuly damaging a pair of cur- • tains, a blind, and a couch, belonging : to Dorothy Price, to the extent of 3 ss. . Mr. El worth entered a plea of not } guilty. According to Airs. Price, Connor • was her neighbour. On March 25, ! about 9 p.m., the latter had come to i witness's house and knocked oil the ; back door. The door was locked, and witness took no notice of the knock, ! believing her caller to be under the j influence of liquor. “I heard the window go up. and saw j the flare of light,” continued witness. , “The curtains and the blind were on fire, and the curtains had dropped, ! scorching the couch beneath.” Connor, who lived in Killowen Ave- 1 nuc, urged that she had been in bed suffering from the effects of an accident from March 24 to March 28. Chief-Detective Hammond: Defendant is a dangerous woman. She has 22 previous convictions. Connor was fined £2 and ordered to make good the damage, in default 14 days’ imprisonment. She was also ordered to pay witness's expenses, 10s. Defendant was prohibited in spite of comment by her husband from the back of the court that he did not consider an order at all necessary.