A BURNING SUBJECT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2109, 30 March 1920, Page 2

A BURNING SUBJECT.

ALL manner of wild rumours are afloat re the cause of the recent disastrous conflagrations. Some people are positive that a fire-raiser is responsible. The annals of criminology contain instances of a criminal kink on the part of some individuals for (ire-raising. This form of insanity, however, is very rare, and we are loth to believe that Foxton harbours such a lunatic. There is, however, The possibility, and the imagination of panic-mongers colour the rumour. Several people declare they heard a horse galloping along the road shortly before Sunday night's outbreak. Police investigations in this connection disclose that a riderless horse, without saddle or bridle, was seen about the Alain Street late on Sunday night, but a

would adopt a more stealthy method of covering his tracks. It is just as feasible to argue that the.cause of the outbreak was rats or some one of Ihe hundred other theories. This we do know, that had- Fox ton possessed proper (ire-lighting' equipment the outbreak would have been confined to the back portion of Mr Perrenu’s building, and the loss resultant would have not exceeded a few hundred pounds, instead of thousands, apart from the inconvenience to the unfortunate tradespeople concerned. Fires are common to- every community, and the same causes operate, with this difference, that in other places the means are provided to successfully cope with them, whereas in Foxton we are rendered impotent and are compelled to suU fer an unenviable notoriety that could be avoided if a comprehensive scheme for combating the fiery elements was adopted. To-night the Council and newly-formed Fire Brigade will discuss the subject, and we suggest that as many of the public as can snake it convenient should attend, and be allowed to express their views on this “burning*' question.