THE WELLINGTON FIRES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2816, 6 February 1888, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON FIRES.

Arrest of the Incendiaries.

John Collins and Reuben Hind old gaol birds have been arrested for being the incendiaries of the three conflagratious which occurred in Wellington ram Saturday morning last. Regarding tho matter this mornings N.Z. Times, writes'as under;-" From the confession of Collins it is supposed that he and Hind had entered upon a series of burglaries, and being foiled in their attempt to find anything of , value set fire to the various premises thoy entered at an early hour on Saturday morning. It is believed tho pair entered the premises in Customhouse street, and not being satisfied with tho amount of plunder they were ablo to secure tho place was deliberately set on fire, The next visit was to the offices of Messrs Lepper, builders and contractors in Upper Wiliis-street, nearly opposite the Te Aro Hotel, Not lindmg anything of value here, a pile of shavings was gathered in a heap, and a j* lightapplied. Fortunately, however, tho j% fire was discovered in time, and extinguished before any damage was done. Next came a fiendish and horrible attempt to draw public attention away from tho scenes of tho two former affairs by the setting on firo of Mr John Beck's mill. According to * the confession of Collins, Hind was the man who in each of the three cases was the actual lire-raiser. Whether this is true or not, will, no doubt, be ascertained at the public trial of the two men, both of whom have a history not unconnected with previous crime in this city.