CAMPAIGN OF FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 108, 7 May 1913, Page 5

CAMPAIGN OF FIRE.

WOMEN BURN A CHURCH

DAMAGE TOTALS £20,000.

BOMB AT AN HOTEL.

THREAT TO POISON HORSES. (Received 10.50 a.m.) (By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.) LONDON, May 6. One of the most wanton acts of the suffragettes was perpetrated last night, when St. Catherine's Church, at "Sew t'roi-c, was destroyed, by fire. 'lhe hassocko and cushions were saturated with oil, and the whole building was enveloped in flames-in a few minutes. The fire brigade was unable to make any impression on the blaze, and the church waa totally destroyed. There had beeu no lire "in the church for a fortnight, and the gas had not been lighted since Sunday. Three women were seen in the building prior to the outbreak. The vicar auggDsts that they hid in cupboards during the day, and waited until night to carry out their work of destruction. ADA WARD'S BID FOR FAME. Thi<s evening a poiicemon saw a woman 1 placing a bomb, the fuse of which she had lighted, iv the doorway of thoi Grand Hotel. He rushed up, extinguished the bomb, and captured the Ii woman, who proved to be Miss Ada Ward, the actress, who join'-'d the Salvation Army, aud subsequently returned to the stage.

Tho policeman deposited the bomb momentarily in a dust heap, but when he went to get it again he was unable to find it. Miss Ward was charged at Bow Street Court to-day, and was remanded. POISONING RACEHORSES. Miss Ashton Cross, whose champion Pekingese dog, Chootai of Egban. was poisoned by aconite at the Southampton Show, hae received an anonymous letter, reading: "I am sorry your pretty dog was sacrificed, but the same course will be followed with every valuable racehorse until women are .ranted the vote." Since the outset of the militant campaign a thousand members of the Women's Social Political "Union have been arrested, 209 have hunger-struck, and 124 have beeu forcibiv fed.

The sum of £160,000 has been sub"scribed to tbe funds of the union. FIRES IN THE DOCKYARDS. The hearing of the charges against, seven suffragettes and the analyst named Clayton of conspiring with Mrs. Pankhuret and others to cause damage to property wn,s. resumed to-day. Air. Bodkin detnilet! a- scheme which had been submitted to Mrs. Drummond 'at a cost of _o,\by means of which the dockyards were to be- set on -fire,- ---| thus causing damage to the extent of £20,000.". " '

Drew, the printer of'the newspaper Suffragette," who was arrested, apologised, and promised not to do any more printing for tbe suffragettes. He has been required to find a bond of £1,500.

The others who were before the Court were remanded on bail, with the exception of Mrs. Drummond and Misrf Kenncy, who shouted that they would go on hunger strike."

Nina Boyle and Annie Munroe, two of the leaders of the '"Women's Freedom League, have been arrested for holding a meeting in Hyde Park on Sunday. Those arrested for'rioting in Trafalgar Square'on Sunday were fined amounts ranging from £2 10/ to £5.