TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 96, 23 April 1912, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

SUSPECTED JNCENDIARISM. FIEES AtHiILTON. [BX TfiLEGEArH — SI'ECIAL, TO THE POST.J DUNEDIN, This Day. The circumstances of the fire at James 'Gray and Son's premises at Milton are decidedly suspicious. A prominent Fire Brigade official, when, spoken to on the matter, gave it as his opinion that incendiarism was being practised in xhe district. Three, fires had occurred in five weeks, and tlhere was not the slightest, clue as to their origin. In the case of Messrs. Gray and Son's 1 first. fire, the place had been left perfectly secure by the officials on the night previous, and yet a few hours later the building was in flames. On Friday night an unoccupied cottage had been fired. The place had been occasionally let to hawkers, but, 60 far as could be ascertained, no one had been ,near it for some days previous to the outbreak. When Messrs. Gray's premises 'were locked up on Saturday night about 10 o'clock, everything appeared perfectly • safe, and, moreover, there had not been a fire in the building all day. No less than three persons (two of them medical men) had passed by shortly after 4 o'clock, and saw nothing to arouse their suspicions. The^ rear of the. building, where the firestart T ed, offered an excellent opportunity for anyone desirous of firing it. The speculation as to incendiarism has increased, owing to the appearance of Detective Ward, who came down by the express to investigate the matter. [press association.] DUNEDIN, 22nd April. Mr. James Gray is; unable to give a, definite estimate of his loss, but he states that the building was heavily stocked. The goods were insured for £2000 in the Guardian Office, and the building for £250 in the London and Liverpool Office. The loss very likely amount* to about £3000. At, 2.30 this afternoon the Fire Brigade was called out to suppress an outbreak in Messrs. Gray's stables, adioming the section on which yesterday's firo occurred. The outbreak did not give much trouble, being subdued in a few minutes. Like the other fires, its origin is a mystery. TEMPLETON CAMP. CHARGES OF DRUNKENNESS DENIED. (XX TELEGRAPH— SPECIAL TO TBX MST.} . CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A motion passed by the Christchurch Prohibition League on Friday night, containing an implication that there was a. considerable amount of drunkenness at the Templeton camp, has aroused considerable indignation among ths men who were there, and who state that, without making any definite charge, itgives an impression as to the conduct of the camp which is totally contrary to fact*. Ah one man said, speaking to a reporter, jt was ridiculous for anyone to assert that in 450 men there was not one whoso habits tveie questionable. No sensible man would make euctt a • statement; but to say there had heen dmnkonneea at the camp was untrue. What had given rise to the rumour was probably this, the night the men left Christchurch a few of them, wijh mistaken ideas of the meaning of the word "manly," did their best to give the impression that they were intoxicated, in order to bear out their reputation of being " rollicking, manly young fellows," as they thought. None of them were really drank, and probably there were not more than two ov three who had any drink at all. After the men were in camp it was certain that no drink had been procured, but a number had kept up a pose of being " fast," and it was probably these few who had been observed by some person who had -carried out a report that there had been drunkenness at the canin. A number ot officers, including Lieu-tenant-Colonel Smith, who were spoken to on the matter, denied the allegation utterly. They said a strict look-out had teen kept for that sort of thing, and the younger non-commissioned officers, many of whom were on friendly and intimate terms with the men, would have discovered the drinking if it had occurred. No man with sufficient backbone to keep himself free from evil in any ordinary school or athletic club could have come to any harm in any of the Territorial camps. [PBESS ASSOCIATION.] MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY. DUPLICATION OF SERVICE. AUCKLAND, 22nd April. -The au»tion^joi_dujilicituistjtjje Jlumj.

Trunk service between Auckland and Wellington was mentioned to the Hon. A. M. Myers (Minister for Railways) by a Herald reporter to-day. Mr. Myeis said thai he had considered the matter, and the conclusion which ho arrived at was that circumstances justify a duplication for the noxt summer season. Arrangements would be.mado for an extra express to commence on lsi, November, and continue to 30th April. Afterwards the question of tile permanent retention of the duplicated service would bo decided. Instructions had already been given for the building of twenty-five additional cars of Main Trunk standard type. These would bo completed not later than the middle of October next. In view, however, of the increasing traffic, especially in the Auckland d'stnct, Mr. Myers said that it had been decided to- invite tenders' for the buiV'i.ig of twenty more carriages. SfcRIQUS ASSAULT CASES. ' AUCKLAND, 22nd April. Three men were charged in the Police Court to-day with assaulting Constable Mills on Bth April. All three pleaded guilty. As tho result of an encounter, the constable was badly knocked about, and had to be taken to the hospital. He has not yot resumed his duties. The Magistrate said the case was one of tho most brutal and cowardly that had ever come before him. Ho regretted that the penalties he could inflict were so light. One of the accused had been in prison already for seven days, < and, as he was drunk at the time, ho (the Magistrate) was inclined to be" more lenient with him. He sentenced him to fourteen days' imprisonment with hard labour. The other two were sentenced to the maximum penally of three months' imprisonment. At the Police Court this morning, Thos. Henry Phillips, a man of 35 years, was charged that on Bth March he assaulted Wm. Montgomery in the Occidental Hotel, and caused him actual bodily harm. A plea, of "Not guilty" was entered t'or^ the accused by Mr. W. Hackett. The accused was committed for trial. MAN FOUND SHOT. GORE, 22nd April. A man named John Crawford, for several year* engaged in the cycle trade, in Gore, was found this morning, near Otamita. with a bullet wound in hie head. He was removed to the hospital, where he succumbed an hour later. A repeating rifle was lying beside the body, and there was a email box of bullets in on© of the man's pockets. LICENSING LEGISLATION. 1 PALM'ERSTON N., 22nd. April. Mr. Wm. Thomson commenced a crusade to-night in advocacy of the reform of the licensing legislation. He condemned tied houses, and said the Government should bring in a Fair Rent Bill for hotels, the rent to be. fixed by arbitration. They must abolish all goodwills, and every man must be allowed to buy his goods in the open market. The Government should subsidise all liquors, and allow none to be sold without a Government brand as to ite quality.