FIRE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1313, 12 August 1886, Page 3

FIRE.

SUSPECTED ARSON.

Auckland, August 13. Shortly before twelve o’clock Inst night a fire broke rut In the shop of Clarke, watchmaker, Eden Terraco, a suburban district south of the city. The fire

spread with alarming rapidity, fanned by

I a brisk breeze, until eight shops, six I dwelling-houses, and a ladies’ seminary J were destroyed The fire raged for 2 h urs, b I and there being no water supply, though e within 200 yards of the Kyber Pass re;t I servoir, the chief efforts wore directed to (, 1 saving the furniture and stock. The |t I buidings destroyed were occupied as j I follows ; —First shop, occupied by J. . j Heath, bootmaker ; second, empty shop ; ’ I third, J T. Clarke, watclimakor ; fourth, i I Miss Johnston’s seminary ; fifth, Colo, , j bootmaker ; sixth, Mrs Beedell, dressI maker ; seventh, Walker, greengrocer ; J eighth, Hennigan. grocer and iron J monger ; ninth, Simpson, plumber The j shops had all dwelling-houses attached, I mostly two storey wooden buildings, and I the last named three were on the opposite ( I side of the street to the others, T) e j j insurances, so far as known, are—Heath I and Clarke's block, £450 New Zealand , J office, £2OO South British ; Clarke’s stock, ■ I £l5O Norwich Union ; Miss Johnston, I £7OO New Zealand ; Mrs Beedell, £SOO j United ; Cole, £SOO Un ted ; Henuigan, f I£!150 South British; Simpson, £350 j Royal. This morning Clarke was arrested p Iby the police charged with arson At. his lodgings £2OO worth of stock was discovered, and it is said his insurance [ policy expired to-day. Later John Thomas Clarke appeared at the Police Court this morning, charged with r having set fire to Ifs premises at Eden j Terraco with intent to defiand the P Norwich Union Insurance Company. He aj was remanded. The prisoner stated the te goods wore not concealed, and that his p. neighbors had assisted to remove them, lo App’ioation for bail was refused. ce