FIRE BUG.

Grey River Argus, 23 July 1926, Page 5

FIRE BUG.

ACTIVE AT AUCKLAND Nine Outbreaks in Two Days AUCKLAND, July 22. There were four outbreaks of fire in the city to-day, making a total of nine in two days. Several were in office buildings in the city, and they were jsubdued before any serious damage I was caused. Mr W. L. Wilson, Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, said xho circumstances pointed to the operations of a “fire bug.” He referred particularly to the fire at His Majesty’s Arcade last night, when a bundle of papcr> was found burning behind a locker. This fire, he said, was certainly suspicious, as the papers had evidently been taken from the top of the lockei »and placed between the locker and tht wall before being ignited. Mr Wilson, referring to the fact that a suspicious fire had been located in buildings used as offices, said it was easy for anyone to wander round such a building without arousing suspicion, making it difficult to detect a person intent on arson. He recalled that there was a similar epidemic of fires ‘earlier in the year. 1 An offer of one hundred pounds reward by the Auckland Fire Board for information leading to the arrest ol persons wilfully causing fires is understood still fo be available.