FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 47, 14 February 1908, Page 2

FIRES.

Per Press Association. ChrisLchure.h, Lust Night. The ruins oi' Wurdeils' factory, w liieli have been smouldering the big lire last week. began to burn liurtely I his morning, ami the brigade had to get to work. The shell oi' the building contained fifteen or twenty feet of debris, apparently consisting mainly of bricks and charred beams, and from this a elomi of smoke was rising with an amount o; force that indicated a strong lire undei*ncatli. There was no danger of the lire spreading, but the smoke was a source of considerable annojance l ( ' the neighboring business premises. This aflernooji the brigade was still pumping waiter into the ruins, hut had not succeeded ill suppressing the Jiiv. SIX OI'TBREAKS IX CJUtlSTl'llUtCh FIKIS FIENDS AT WUIiK. Christ church, Last Night. Tonight outbreaks of lire were (lis--1 coverc<l in no fewer limn six different, j places hi the busines : , heart of the city, and indication* point to the fact lh.it a band of incendi .rists are at work. All tile outbreaks were similar in character. the contents of rubbish boxes iti narow alleyways lining set alight after the board fiad been [ilaeed against .the wails of building?.

The 'outbreiks were found in a right-of-way between the Cain Agency Im.'Mings and the Cafe de Paris Hotel, a point where several wooden shops abut on a right-of-way near f»riee's corner, leading from Hereford street along the back of a number of retail Minns fronting on Colombo street. In another right-of-way running inun C'ashel street along the back of other shops fronting on Colombo slrcet: in a right-of-way at the back of the Al. Hotel and wooden

shops: in another part of Colombo street which was threatened by the big fire on Thiir.-day las|; in the right-of-w>iy below the Cnited Service Hotel between Hereford sired anTi Cathedral Sjjua-'e. and in the Press ollice rigbt-of-wiiy. In «ome instances kerosene and fat had been added to give the fires a good start. AM the outbreaks were promptly suppressed. and t'he police have tlie matter in hand.