NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1944, 30 December 1913, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Tolceraßh—Prces Association.) .■ 9 ~ ;; : vt;'r DISAPPEARING STOCK. *yC SUSPECTS BEFOKE THE COUET.? Dannovirke, December 20/' About 2 o'clock on Sunday morning tho police arrested five young men, who were living together, on charges of receiving property, knowing the same to have been stolen. Three oE them, Uindon Harold Frost, Percy Stanley I'rebble, and Albert Hugh Toomer, arc postal officers, the other two wero Kichard Wilford Wratt and Theodore Brown. The arrests wore duo to a. report to the police by the principal of a hardware firm that his stock was mysteriously disappearing. One of the quintet was suspected, and on being interrogated is alleged to have incriminated the others. Two other youths were.also before the Court in connection with the affair, Gordon Gillespio and Charles David Eversen. These two worked for the firm from whom the articles were missed and were charged with the theft thereof. They were all remanded for eight days, bail being allowed, self in £25 and one surety of £25 each. The police, have further investigations to make, and it is said there is a possibility of clearing up further mysterious disappearances which have occasioned the general public inconvenience and in some cases monetary loss. THEFT OF MOTOR-CAR. Auckland, December 20. • On Saturday Arthur Allan Edenborough, aged 20, was arrested at Mangawai charged with having stolen a motor-car from the garage of W. Soutar and Co., Goro Street. Auckland, last Friday week. FIRE AT AUCKLAND. Auckland, December 29. A fire at Calliope lioad, Devonport, to-night completely destroyed a twostoried house of 13 rooms, owned and occupied by Mr. John Alexander, solicitor. Foiv of the contents were saved. The house was insured in tho New Zealand office for £1600, and was valued at over £2000. The furniture, etc., was' insured in the Alliance office for £'100. The loss on the furniture is £200. Mr. Alexander and family were absent from home at the time. The origin of the fire is a mystery. FIRES'AT CERALDINE. Timaru, December 29. Two cottages at Geraldine were burned yesterday, one on Mr. J. Conolly'a farm occupied by the employees, and tho other an empty seven-roomed house belonging to Mrs. Sclmltz, of Christchurch, was found burning at midnight. Incendiarism is suspected in tho latter case. FIRE AT GISBORNE. Gisborne, December 29. Shops occupied by Fvosemerry, fruiterer, and Wildman, fishmonger, and owned by Mrs. Hobb, wero gutted this morning. Wildman and Rosomerry Wero each insured for £200 in tho. Queensland office. FIREMAN REFUSES DUTY, Timaru, December 29. Edward Berry, a fireman on the Turakina, was fined £2 or in default 14 days' imprisonment for refuging duty between Lyttclton and Timaru. A second charge of threatening an officer was withdrawn.