FIRE IN VICTORIA-STREET WEST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 76, 8 April 1885, Page 2

FIRE IN VICTORIA-STREET WEST.

Arrest for Alleged Incendiarism.

At half-pa«t two o'clock this morning an alarm of firo was briskly rung out upon the cit? flfebells,' and, guided by an opaque column of sm'tfke, the startled citizens had ho Woub'le in speedily a*sc'erte&ring its location to be th'e lower part of Victoffri-street Wesi At first) it was thought that the Royal Mail Hotel was the sceno of danger, but ft was found1 to bo the tobacconist's shop of Mr W. A. Thomas, next door. The alarm was first of all given by some boarders of tho hotel, and Constable Christie, who was on duty hard by at the time was the first to respond to it. He ran straight to the shop, and, finding no other means of entrance, smashed two of the front windows. Once inside, he perceived through tho blinding smoke that although the fire was blazing in two separato places, it did not appear to have a great hold. With groat tact and presence of mind, he at once divestod himself of hig overcoat, and with it in his hands as an extinguisher, he succeeded in smothering a portion of the flames. The smoke, however, was overpowering, and he was quickly obliged to beat a hasty retreat to the street. In the meantime, Constable Cablll and tbo in mates of tho neighbouring hotel had put in an appearance, while at the flame time Superintendent Hughes arrived with several firemen and a small engine and hose. With these agencies the incipient fire was effectually arrested, and a few minutes later had been extinguished. Sergeants Pratt and Kioly at once made a search of the recently endangered premises, and found that the fire had originated under the counter and about the gas meter. Subsequently, Detectives Twohey and Hughes instituted a more searching examination, and they then made several discoveries which aroused their gravest suspicions. The gas meter was found to have been cut as with a knife in a number of places, and it was evident that the flames had been very active at this point. Then a large tin tinder the counter, and containing the ashes and Charred remains of light wood and paper, Was found to have been the seat of a separate fire. Coupled with these facts it was ascertained that the tenant of the shop, Mr W.- A. Thomas.of Po'nsonby, was insured in theColonial Office for £100, whereas the whole contents of his Bhop did not appear to be worth more than £20. Under theee circumstances he was at once arrested and placed in custody. Tho block of buildings in which the shop is situated belongs to Mr Groenway, and has only been erected about a year. So far as is known at present, Themas finally left his shop at half-past 12 this morning, accompanied by a young man named Jones, living either in Wellesley-street or Wakefield-street. Shortly after two, Mr J. S. Sheridan, of " Fun on the Bristol" notoriety, who occupies a suite of rooms in the hotel juat over tbo shop, perceived a strong smollsbf smoke. He had been up attending upon Mrs Sheridan, who was ill, and at once ran downstairs and gave the alarm to the housohold. Two other inmates of tho hotol, named McDonald and Doylo respectively, carried tho alarm out to the streot, and their shout? brought Constable Christie to the rescue.—The prisoner, Win. Arthur Thomas, was brought up at tho Police Court to-day, and formally charged with setting fire to tho shop.—Mr. Theo. Cooper appeared in defonco.—On the application of Sergeant Pratt, the prisoner was remanded for eight days. Bail was allowod—self in £50, and two sureties of £50 each. Prisoner was bailed out this afternoon by Messrs Mctcalfo and Kelly.