Briefs

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 6

Briefs

Arson suspected

The police suspect a fire which gutted judges’ chambers in the old District Court building in Auckland yesterday was lit deliberately. They believe the blaze was started by intruders who broke into the five-storey block through an insecure window. The seat of the fire was a pile of rubbish in the judges’ chambers on the fourth floor. The' building has been vacant since the new court and Justice Department building in Albert Street was opened in June. Damage was confined to two rooms and a stairwell. —PA.

Dogs save house

Two Dobermann dogs saved a Taumarunui house from being burned down when they alerted their owner. According to the chief officer of the Taumarunui Volunteer Fire Brigade, Mr Barry Fisher, the dogs’ 5 a.m. alarm on Saturday saved the house. Peter Lark was asleep in the house when, in his words, “the dogs started going right off.” The fire was contained in the roof and was set to spread down into the house when Mr Lark discovered the blaze. “We were very lucky. It could have been worse,” he said. He believes a wasps’ nest near the chimney may have caught fire. — PA.

Renovation write-off

Chase Corporation has spent $1.5 million refurbishing an Auckland department store which may be demolished in three or four years. The Hobson Street Farmers “flagship” store is the first in the chain to be renovated. The Chase executive chairman, Mr Colin Reynolds, said money spent on refurbishing would be written off through profits from the new-look store. The Hobson Street branch accounts for 16 per cent of Farmers’ sales. But the old six-level building is a fire hazard. “It will have to come down ultimately. The City Council will no doubt be pleased to see it go,” he said.—PA.

Climber falls 300 m

A man, aged 35, is in a satisfactory condition in Palmerston North Hospital after being injured in a fall on Mount Ngauruhoe. Brendan O’Dea, of Palmerston North, was one of. a party of four climbing the mountain on the north-western face on Friday when he slipped and. fell 300 m about 11.30 a.m. Another member of the party alerted park staff by 1 p.m. A rescue helicopter from Taupo lifted Mr O’Dea off the mountain. He was taken to hospital with a broken arm and suspected broken ribs, pelvis and femur—PA.