FIRE AT HAMILTON EAST. (By our Travelling Reporter )

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 373, 3 October 1874, Page 2

FIRE AT HAMILTON EAST. (By our Travelling Reporter )

I am enabled just in time to send yon full parti cv' irs of a fire, which has destroyed a portion of the itoyal Hotel, the property of Mr Cummins, and at one time appeared likely to have laid, in ruins the whole of that valuable property. It appears that about about 5 o'clock in the morning the ostler to the hotel was dressing himself preparatory to commencing his daily duties when he was startled by loud cries of " Mre 1 " He rushed down stairs, and out of the hotel, when he found the cook-house, which stands a little in rear of the hotel in flames. At that time no person was visible, but shortly afterwards a man of the name of Doyle came in sight and gave the following particulars of the lire. It appeared that he, (Doyle), had requested tho ostler to permit him to sleep in the stable for tho night. This was refused, but he was shewn' into what is known as the " forage-rooul," and was locked in. That between 4 and 5 o'cleck in the morning he saw the light of the fire, and immediately dashed oufc the window of the forage-foom in order to pass out and extinguish the flames. The cook-house was burned to the ground, and it is perfectly marvellous how the whole building escaped destruction. A Sky-terrier dog, belonging t) Mr Cummins, w.is unfortunately locked up in the burning buildiug, and, of 00111*86, was destroyed. M:my of your readers will, doubtless, remember the universal canine favorite — " Possum," and will lament his unfortunate fate. Since writing the above, I have learned that j Doyle has been arrested on suspicion of having set fire to the place, and appearances certainly seem to point strongly to tho man us the culprit. .Doylo is a man very well and unfavourably known to tho police, and has jnbt finished a term of imprisonment in Auckland gaol. On tho evening proceeding the conflagration, he was heard to utter se\-eral tin-cats that he would burn down tho Royal j Hotel, if not allowed a bed Avithin it. He also, said, that if a man of the name of Murphy, with whom he had been lighting, Avere sheltered in the house, it would be in ashes in the morning. Several other items of circumstantial evidence are strongly in favour of the supposition that Doyle is tho author cfthe lire, but, of course we must not prejudge the case. Doyle left early in the morning for Tamahore. whither he was followed and arrested by constable Haddock and another. If I am in Hamilton when tbe case is tried, I shall forward' you full particulars. The building destroped was uninsured. I am happy to say that we are likely soon again to have free communication with the East side of the fiver. The steamer Rangiriri has arrived, and while 1 itm waiting, is assisting to stretch the puntrope, which has been spliced. For the last two days passengers from one side of the river, to the other, have been conveyed in a boat kindly lent by Mr Cox, for that purpose. I hear something of a meeting held or about to be held in reference to a bridge here, and will forward full particulars to your next issue.