DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT AUCKLAND. Alleged Incendiarism.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2200, 14 August 1886, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT AUCKLAND. Alleged Incendiarism.

An extensive fire occurred f\t Eden Terrace, Auckland, shortly before midnight on Wednesday. It broke out in a shop occupied by J. T. Clatke, watchmaker and jeweller, and owing to the wind and the absence of a supply of water, though the Kyber Pass leservoir is only a couple of hundted yards distant, it destroyed the following buildings : — Fust shop, occupied by J, Heath, bookmaker ; empty ; thiid, J. T. Clark, w.itchm ikei ; fourth, Mis«, Johnston's seminary ; fifth, Cole", bootmaker; sixth, Mrs Jieadnall, dressmaker; sevenUi, Walker, grocer; eighth, Hemming, grocer and ironmonger ; ninth, Simpson, plumber. These shops all had duellinghonses attached, and were mostly two-stoiyejd buildings. The last named three were on the opposite side )f the street fiom the others. The insurances are :—: — Heath and Clarkes block, £150 in New Zealand and £200 in South British, Clarkes stock, £150 in Norwich Union ; Miss Johnson. £700 in New Zealand ; Mrs Bead nail, £950 in United ; Cole, £500 in United ; Heming, £1150 in South British ; Simpson, £350 in Royal. Subsequently the police discovered that Clarke, whose insurance policy expired on Thursday, had removed stock from his shop to his lodgings to the value of £200. In consequence of this he was arrested on a charge of arson. He stated before the magistrate that he had removed the good* openly with the, assistance of miuio of his neighbour-^. He was remanded, bail being refused.