FIRES AT WAIKOUAITI.

Evening Star, Issue 4120, 11 May 1876, Page 3

FIRES AT WAIKOUAITI.

Incendiarism would appear to be rife in the Waikouaiti district. Three fires have occurred within as many days, which too surely point to but one supposition—that they have been caused from malicious motives. The first of these fires occurred on Sunday morning last on the farm of Mr Sutherland, Flag Swamp. The fire was first discovered about 4 o'clock by Mrs Sutherlaud, who was awoke by the glare of the flames, when it was found that a quantity of wheat—l6o bags—which two or three days previously had been threshed and not removed, had been ignited and was burning fiercely. Although assistance was promptly rendered, it is scarcely necessary to say that the whole of the wheat was burnt or more or less damaged. The grain was uninsured, and Mr Sutherland estimates his loss at Ll5O. Just three hours and ten minutes after this catastrophe another fire was discovered in a house lately occupied by Mr J. Galbraith, and which he used as a barn, dairy, and workshop, situated a short distance from his dwelling-house, at his farm, Hawlcsbury. Mrs Galbraith was the first to observe the presence of the fire after arising on Sunday morning, when she at once gave the alarm, but the building was destroyed before the I fire was got under. In the building there were 100 bushels of oats, four bags of seed wheat, a number of agricultural implements, and the tools of Mr Galbraith, who was in the habit of carrying on the business of a bootmaker in conjunction with that of farming, as well as several other articles more or less valuable. The most singular fact of this fire was that the flames were discovered issuing from the roof where it is asserted the fire first originated. The building, we understand, was insured, but the oats and other articles were not, so that Mr Galbraith is a loser to the extent, we should say, of LIOO. The fire is believed to be the act of an incendiary, as no fire had been near the building since 12 o'clock the day previous, which Mr Galbraith lit for dinner, but which he immediately afterwards put out. The third fire occurred on the farm of Mr J. W. Murdoch, R.M., Flag Swamp, and from its presence he has sustained a loss equal to Ll5O. The fire broke out in Mr Murdoch's stack, and destroyed two large stacks of wheat estimated to yield 750 bushels. There can be no doubt but that in this, as in the two previous instances, the fire was. the diabolical work, of

an incendiarist. Mr Murdoch had some dayß previously arranged with the local agent of the National Insurance Company, to insure his stacks, and that the amount \tpon which the premium was to be paid had actually been agreed upon, but that owing to other engagements the' money had not actually been paid. It becomes a nice point of law whether Mr Murdoch will be able to recover the amount or not; but regarding the matter from a atricfc point of equity, we should say that the question is one that the National Insurance Company might well consider in a favorable light. We trust no effort will be spared by the police to discover the cowardly wretches who can thns vent their malicious propensities with fancied security and seeming impunity.— •Herald.'