FIRE.—SUSPICIOUS AFFAIR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 681, 19 January 1866, Page 4

FIRE.—SUSPICIOUS AFFAIR.

About one o clock tins morning, an alarm ol fire, which happily Las lately been of less.frfrqucnt occurrence in Auckland, /was given by tlie fire bells from all parts of the towfi.' A dense, column of smoke an;! a brilliant light were tp be perceived in tlie direction of \ incent-street, evidently showing that an extensive conflagration raged in tliat neighborhood. A great number of persons speedily collected upon the spot, -when it was found that the premises on fire consisted of a house in Vincent-street, belonging to Jlr. IVIcG inlny. a. milkman, and were unoccupied. Tlie proprietor of the hcrass knew, nothing of the occurrence for some tifpe after the alarm was given. The neighbours state that they heard several inen, apparently the worse for liquor, quarrelling and_ making a great noise in front of the burnt premises, and that the fellows left the spot about a quarter of an hour before the fire was discovered. It is, to say the least, rather suspicious, and taking into consideration the fact that the house was uninhabited, it 13 more thaii probable that the men mdy live been smoking in the house, and so caused the fire by carelessness. We trust that these parties may be traced, in order to clear up the maticr satisfactorily. Every exertion was used by tlie people present to extinguish the fire, which was happily confined to the building in which it originated. 'I lie house was not insured. The Commissioner of Polise with ji portion ot the Force were early on the ground, to render their services, if required.