MYSTERIOUS FIRE FIEND

NZ Truth, Issue 1192, 4 October 1928, Page 11

MYSTERIOUS FIRE FIEND

How Unknown Incendiary Baffled Police Investigators (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) Somewhere m Auckland there lurks a fire-fiend whose depredations have been the cause of considerable anxiety to the fire-fighting authorities, police and insurance companies.

THAT a : dangerous fire '"bug" Is at work was definitely established last week, when Magistrate Levien conducted an inquiry into a mysterious fire which had occurred at a house m Lower Queen Street, Onehunga. Happily, the brigade effected a good save, but It was found later,, that the floors had been soaked with kerosene, while spent wax-matches were discovered. During the Inquiry, some sensational disclosures were made. William R. Wright, a young man, was subjected to a rigorous interrogation. Reference was also made to the great blaze which occurred at Winstone's oil store, Freeman's Bay, when one fireman, lost his life and others were dashing round m agony with their uniforms ablaze.

The alarm for the oil blaze was given by Wright, who was then day watchman working at Freeman's Bay.

He also gave the alarm for the fire at Onehunga, which was the subject of the inquiry, and it.

transpired that he had also given the alarm for other fires. Wright was asked a number of very pointed questions by the police at the inquiry. "You have lived here eight years, and,, during- that time, how many alarms- of fire have you given?" he was asked by Detective -sergeant Doyle. Wright replied thait he had given "four or five." Detective Doyle: Since you gave the flrst alarm five years ago, you have given six alarms at least?— Yes, it may be. . < . . At Winstone's oil fire, you were there and gave the alarm?— Yes. ■ And you were interviewed by the police? — Yes. At that fire, one fireman lost his life and you saw firemen with their clothes blazing?— Oh,, yes, I could not help seeing that. What did you say? Did you say it "vras great fun to see the "flaming firemen" running about?— No, I didn't. Did you not say to Detective Sinclair: "It is up to you to catch -me and bring your witnesses along?" — No, I did not. . Asked whether he did not think it extraordinary that he was usually the first to see big fires m One- -, hunga and the city, Wright could

Flaming Firemen

see nothing unusual about it at all. "Oh, I don't know," was his reply. He admitted, m answer to further questions, that it was o.dd he was always m the vicinity when big fires occurred. When the oil blaze commenced, he was about 200 yards away. He did not like fires and always kept well away from them. He was never near the fire when it started. v The house m question was vacant at the time. It is owned by James Robertson, a general commission agent, who resides a.t Avondale. Robertson stated m evidence that when he inspected the house after the fire, m company with a constable, there was "a kerosene smell about the place." It was a strong smell and he also saw som.e dead matches about the floor. The conclusion he came to was that a deliberate attempt had been made to burn down the* house.

The superintendent of the Onehunga fire brigade, Charles Gilbert, was very definite m his view about the origin of the. fire. " m he fire had been

delibe rately set alight," said Gilbert, "and I am satisfied there wa? kerosene m the front room, where . _c fire was discovered. "It is significant that the fire' in the back room was set m such a way that anyone m Wright's place could have seen it." Gilbert then, -gave some arresting facts concerning the prevalence of fires m the district during the past four years. Since July, 1924, there had been no fewer than 16 fires m the locality, and, m his opinion — compared with other parts of the borough — the number was abnormal. Of the sixteen fires, it was known that some of them had been notified to the brigade by members of the Wright family; at least four had been notified by William Wright. Magistrate Levien found that the fire had been kindled, by some person or persons unknown. "I can come to no other conclusion," he said, and commented that the action of the fire board m holding the Inquiry was quite justified. Who is the fire fiend responsible? The fire board and the police would [ like to know.