IS IT A MADMAN ?

Grey River Argus, 16 May 1933, Page 5

IS IT A MADMAN ?

Canterbury Gras® Fires (pr r press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, May 15. The recent fire there has increased the anxiety in the Marshland district. Additional police protection is demanded. Some of the dairy farmers believe that a madman is at work. The theory that the fires are the sequel to price cutting is unsupported. CHRISTCHURCH, May 15. A grass fire swept two hundred acrex at Cashmere Hills last evening. It was with fifty yards of Lewisham Sisters* Rest Homo. Only the efforts of 40 men. mostly hurriedly summoned from the city, saved the building, which the Sisters had prepared to evacuate. It was a feverish fight, ior an hour against a strong wind. INVERCARGILL, May 15. Fire at Winton, eaiiy on Sunday morning, destroyed Liddell’s buildings and damaged the Anglican Church adjoining. The stocks ot W. T. Head s, drapers, and H. Liddell, bootmakers, were demolished. The loss is estimated at £2OOO. The building was insured for £6OO and LkTdclPs stock ££oo. Head’s stock was also covered, hut the amount is unknown. CHRISTCHURCH, May 15. A five-roomed house Marshland, owned by Ernest Crozier, was destroyed at eleven o’clock to-night. The only occupant, Mbs M. Crozier, 74. mother of the owner, had difficulty in escaping. She was crawling out on hands and knees, wfcen a boy named Jacksen living in a whare nearby, noticed her plight, and went to ber assistance. Tho fire is believed to be of incendiary origin, as a suspicious fire on the previous Sunday on the same farm destroyed a garage and a haystack. The owner was absent at the time.