MAYOR'S MISFORTUNE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19683, 29 July 1929, Page 11

MAYOR'S MISFORTUNE.

MESSAGES OP SYMPATHY. From almost every part of the Dominion, from Auckland in the north to Dunedin in the south, messages of sympathy with Mr and Mrs Archer were received by them on Saturday. Many Christehurch citizens offered to \ house the Mayor and his family till their own house is once more habitable. One of the kindest offers is understood to have come from Bishop West-Watson, who rang up Mr Archer early on Saturday morning and asked him to accept 'the hospitality of Bishopscourt. ''l think I took the loss fairly philosophically," the Mayor remarked to a reporter on Saturday, "but it is certainly not true that I returned to the Rugbv Union's jubilee dinner." The property is jointly owned by Mr Archer and the trustees of the Colombo street Baptist Church. The buildings are insured in the National Office for £450, and the contents in the State Office for £250. Detectives visited the house and a close investigation into the whole of the circumstances is being made. A lady residing on the opposite side of the* street states that she saw two men. one of whom was running out of Mr Archer's gate, and the other standins on the road, just a minute or two before the alarm was given to the Fire Brigade. On Fridav night Mr and Mrs Archer stayed with" the Willoughbys, and their sons, Messrs Thomas and Kenneib Archer, slept in the house that so narrowly escaped complete destruction.