Another Church Fire

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31835, 13 November 1968, Page 1

Another Church Fire

Press Association! PALMERSTON NORTH, Nov. 12.

T h e Manawatu church firebug struck again this afternoon when the interior of the St Columba’s Church of England at Linton, about eight miles south of Palmerston North, was gutted —the tenth church to be set alight since 1966.

The fire was discovered I about 1.25 p.m. when two I women passing in a car on I State Highway 57, about (eight miles south of PalmerI ston North, gave the alarm ito a woman resident Hying :near the church. I Two machines from the Palmerston North Fire Brigade subdued the fire in about 15 minutes, and using breathing masks salvaged two badly charred organs, a stone font, pews, a cross, and other chureh furniture. One of the organs had been given to the church only nine months ago, and was valued at an estimated $lOOO.

Hymn Books The fire was believed to have started in the vestry, after a cupboard containing hymn books had been interfered with, and may have been smouldering for hours before being noticed. According to a member of the church committee, the Linton Primary School headmaster, Mr E. G. Whitehead, hymn books had been piled into the vestry before the (fire was set I A team of Palmerston I North detectives sifted (through the debris all the I afternoon, returning to the [city with bagged samples of i ruined hymn books and other evidence of the fire.

Other Churches I The fire is soon after arson 'attempts on two churches at Pahiatua, and on a Salvation [Army Citadel two weeks ago Since 1966 churches have (been burnt to the ground as far apart as Feilding and Norsewood, but in spite of I a $lOOO reward offer and weeks of intensive inquiries no-one has been apprehended. The chief of the Palmerston North C. 1.8. (Detective-Senior-Sergeant D. J. Dwan) tonight appealed to churches in the Manawatu-Wairarapa area to lock their doors, lock their vestry doors, and remove drapes, garments, cleaning cloths and anything combustible. He said a trail of used matches was found in the vestry, where hymn books and cleaning rags had been heaped on a shelf.