FIRE ON ARAHURA

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8343, 1 February 1913, Page 6

FIRE ON ARAHURA

ATTEMPTED INCENDIARISM CABIN BEDCLOTHES SATURATED WITH KEROSENE. DOOR FOUND LOCKED. PROMPT DISCOVERY SAVES THE VESSEL. A deliberate attempt was made last evening to set lire to the Union Company's passenger steamer Arahura as sno lay alongside the Queen's wharf. Ine outbreak was luckily discovered in good time and was oonlined to a ladies caoin, the flames being extinguished beiorc serious damage bad resulted. The door of the cabin was locked, tne bedding was saturated with kerosene, and one of the ventilators was plugged with towels. The police were comm a located with, and Detectives Mason and Lewis occupied some hours in investigating the circumstances last evening. THE DISCOVERY. It appears that the first evidence of the fire was observed by Arthur Ransoroe, a first saloon waiter, when, with John J. Cotterill, a forocabin steward, he was below aft at about twenty minutes to 8. Eansomo saw smoko, and on investigation found it issuing from a ladies' cabin on the starboard side of the main deck about amidships. He sent Cotterill to give the alarm, and the Fire Brigade was summoned by a Harbour Board tolls clerk named Hodge. Mr Victor Siepen, the third officer, who was on watch, was standing aft on the boat deck when the alarm was given, and ho ran down and connected up the enip s hose. Ransome .meantime obtained the keys of the cabin, quickly opened the door, and dashed in through the dense smoke and picked up the smouldering sheets and counterpane, which he took up on to the upper deck. D- McPherson, an A. 8., also brought up the smouldering mattress, and the fire was being stamped out when the Fire Brigade with a hose reel arrived. The brigade ran out their hose, hut water was not required, as the firemen soon stamped out all signs of fire. An examination showed that the lire started in the lower berth. The sheets and mattresses of both berths were saturated with kerosene, hut the quilts were not touched with the liquid. The woodwork of the lower berth was charred, and the bedding of both berths badly damaged; but otherwise no other harm resulted except from smoke. EANSOME’S STATEMENT. Interviewed by a ‘“Times” representative, Ransome stated that shortly beiorc twenty minutes to 8 he went att ‘to get some fruit. As he was going along tne after deck he saw Cotterill coming along the wharf. Cotterill asked Ransome to go below to look at a camera. When they got below Ransome noticed smoke, which no at first thought was coming up from the hold. His subsequent actions have already been stated. Ransome said he saw no strangers about the ship, and this is endorsed by the third officer. It is evident that the fire was started by someone who was familiar with the run of the ship. The keys of the cabin in which the outbreak occurred are kept in a drawer in the steerage dining saloon. Entrance to the after part of the ship could only be gained by someone who knew where the keys of the top doors were kept. The Arahura is the only passenger vessel of the Union Company’s fleet now running between Wellington and the West Coast, since the Mapourika was laid np owing to the dispute, with the firemen. The Arahura will sail as usual to-day at 12.45 p.m. PREVIOUS OUTBREAKS. Only a fortnight ago last Thursday three fires, the origin of which is a mystery, broke out on the Arahura at Wel-

lington. Tie first one, -which was discovered at 6.15 p.m. by Cotterill, was located among some mattresses and leather pillows stowed in the transom. CottefOl gave the alarm to a Harbour Board official. Only trifling damage resulted. The second outbreak was confined to the ebewardoss's cabin close to the place where tho first fixe occurred. The damage was again trivial. At 9.27 p.m. a third fire was discovered in the bedding ot a second-class cabin nearly amidships—in proximity to where last evening's fire started. Superintendent Tait, of the Fire Brigade, expressed the opinion last evening that all the fires were caused probably by the same person or persons. Mr W. A. Kennedy, local manager of the "Union Company, spent a considerable time last evening personally investigating the matter.