A FIRE MANIAC

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1929, Page 5

A FIRE MANIAC

AT WORK IN CHRIS#TOHURCH. | By Telegraph—Par Press Association.) I CHRISTCHURCH, July 22. I Damage estimated at £IO,OOO was I done hue last night, when the bulk I store of J. M. Heyward Ltd., in Dun- I das Street, was destroyed by fire., I The outbreak was, it is believed, I the work of a fire maniac who is at I large in the city. A padlock was I missing from the front door, the I building .being open. I Earlier in the evening slight dam- I age was done to the sample rooms of I Ambler and Company in Hereford I Place, by an incendiarist who smarli- I eel a glass panpl in. a door and' set I fire to a cloth cover over some goods. I v.^iCHURUH,. July 22. , y . I Hey wood’s building was full of fiir-’rl niture in cases, the property,, of I clients of the company. This V,nqd';> | apparently been deliberately ignited, . I and the dry timber of cases and fur- ; I niture burnt furiously. , >1 When the head storeman left the’ I premises at noon on Saturday, , the I building was safe and was carefully I locked up. The outbreak was discov- I ered at 11.22 yesterday evening. I With a constable only ten yards I away, an incendiarist set fixe, about 'I 8 o’clock, to the sample rooms of I Ambler and Co., which are next to I the garage of. Rj 0. Dobsonj •\vhich f'l twice previously had been set alight. I Slight damage .whs, 'doiieJ When fire was detected the glass panel in a door had' been-sniashedy and stuffed into this gap was a white motorist's -'dustcoaib' which 7 is irdw‘in 'possession of the police It is probable the incendiarist used: the coat to cover his'hand when be.'.sipashed f p l' inVthe' dodr. Kfclifpipa&htly ;put' v aLiv4 t light to th© cloth dust cover which 1 had been laid over goods. This cover was burnt and the goods which were underneath were badly charred. ; n £25 will cover the damage. Tile other sensational incident during the week-end was an 'attempt , early on Sunday morning to enter T ' the shop of Hammond and Turner, Ltd., the premises in which Mr E. Hammond was seriously wounded by a burglar on Tuesday night. A heavy glass panel was smashed in the front door but the burglar was unable to manipulate tlie locks and could not gain admittance. . »

By a similar; method, the:Self Help Grocery Shop) 4 in Rpad ,was.. | entered-,-pjbput the :’iiig';’wVs‘stpl%.- • ithij -iy |H CHmsDOHUIRCH:^ # July: m il’Hi on HeyWPocFsll* najef Building] £I2SQ .in. stock £3OOO in Npr wich : ; JJnion, R well as part in other' oampaiues.