FIRE IN HAMILTON SHOPS STARTED BY INTRUDERS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29250, 7 July 1960, Page 15

FIRE IN HAMILTON SHOPS STARTED BY INTRUDERS

(New Zealand Press Association!

HAMILTON. July 5. The police are certain a fire which caused £50.000 damage to a block of shops in Victoria street. Hamilton, early this morning was started by intruders. Detectives who found holes drilled near locks of doors giving access to two of the shops, later took a man to the police station for questioning. One shop, was practically destroyed. Three others on the same main street frontage had fairly serious damage done, to perishable stocks. Upstairs premises were also damaged. Lawrence's gown salon was seriously damaged, the interior-being a charred mass.

The interior of Meltzer’s shop, with racks containing about 500 suits and sports'coats.' was also seriously affected. However, it is likely that a considerable quantity can be salvaged. Upstairs, the Stock in the ski department pf Meltzer’s was badly damaged by smoke and heat.Much of this stock will be irreplaceable as it comes from Switzerland and Scandinavia. /

The floor to the premises of Mr R. B. McKenzie, a dentist, had to be torn up to fight the fire, and the rooms of Mr W Blakiston, also a dentist, were damaged. The police have taken charge of some materials which could have been used for breaking and entering.

Firemen, who were called at 1.45 a.m., when a constable on

the beat broke a street alarm found the back door of Meltzer's shop open. This door and an adjacent one into Lawrence’s gown salon have bolts top and bottom as well as ordinary locks. Around the panels holding the locks were neatly-drilled holes and on one door were unmistakable marks of hammer blows.

Firemen found the gown salon well alight when they arrived. Five sets of breathing apparatus had to be used to allow the men to attack the fire, which apparently started in the back of the gown salon close to where a large cash register stood on a shelf.