DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1176, 11 July 1911, Page 6

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

INCENDIARISM SUSPECTED.' (Bj Telegraph.—Press Association.) Masterton, July 10. The fire at the Masterton Racing Club's course at Opaki yesterday was one of the most' destructive recorded in the district. Nearly the whole of tho buildings were consumed.by the flames. The. outbreak was first observed by Mr. W. Comptori, who, with a mate, occupied the whare on Messrs. J. and A. J. Welch's property, Willow Park, who on being awakened by the glare, discovered the totalisator house in flames. Tho conflagration had such a hold they were unable to do anything. The flames quickly spread, and in a very short space of time the totalisator house, stewards' stand, inside grandstand, booth, stewards' room, tea kiosk, press room,' secretary's office, weighing room, jockeys' room, and a row of loose-boxes were reduced to ashes. Tho only buildings left standing are the people's stand and the judge's box. The buildings were valued at. about ,£4OO and were only covered by .£llOO insurance, the risks being held by the North British office. The officials of the eluh and the police visited the course yesterday morning and made an inspection of the damage done. The investigation pointed (o the fire having been caused by an incendiary, as there was evidence Hint a fire had been set in the people's stand, burning a hole through the floor and charring the scantling and lining. This fire was fortunately discovered by A. Watson, who went to the course early" in the morning to work his racehorse. 'Watson found the door of (he stand open—it had apparently been broken open with a heavy piece of wood—and saw smoke issuing from tho building. Ho immediately put the fire out, and on making an inspection, discovered one of the windows had been opened, thus causing » draught, which would eventually fan the The matter has been placed in the hands of the police, and it i= probable an inrtnest will be held for the purpose of determining how the fire originated.