FIRE-RAISISG EXTRAORDINARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6261, 10 December 1881, Page 4

FIRE-RAISISG EXTRAORDINARY.

• ; FIVE FIRES IN ONE NIGHT. The extraordinary fact of five fires in ons night in the immediate vicinity of the city, : is one which cannot fail to excite a feeling c; ' 'insecurity, and yet this occurred in the most populous neighbourhoods within four or five hours on Thursday night and Friday nioning. The result of the fire which oc- : curred at Mr. Matthews' rope-works at i ; quarter past 12 o'clock midnight was reported in yesterday's issue of the Herald, but that only proved one of a most extraordinary series of attempts at incendiarism, , and the surrounding circumstances can lead to uo other conclusion now that Cyrus Hakj is dead than that it must be the work of soras : lunatic, for there is a total absence of trace of motive, and the attempts were too clumsy to be the result of deliberation. . People had hardly returned to CQmfort- ; able bleep after the fire at Mr. Mat- . thews' rope-vrorks when they were again > awakened by the clanging of the bells, and i the wearied Fire Brigade, Salvage Corps, police, and others, had again to go into 1 harness. Iu this instance the fire occurred ; in a shed er stablea at the rear of Mr. 2 Walker's butcher's shop, in Howe-street, 1 near Karangahape-road, and the alarm wai t sounded about a quarter to 5 o'clock. The 3 shed, which was partially open, was used as [ a sort of rubbish-room, and contained o!d 3 bags, sawdust, and other material of little value. It was burnt to the ground, but the i fire was prevented from reaching the main ■ building. The fire was first observed by t Mrs. Winfield, who lives at the opposite sid» • of the road, and who gave the alarm. A most extraordinary attempt was m.iili I to set fire to the new store iu course of erec- • tion on Newton-road, for Mr. Steveasoa, grocer, on the site where his premises i were recently burnt down. The danger was observed at about 3 o'clock in . the morning, by Mr. McDonald, a baker, . who was eoiug to his work. He noticed » • fire in the rear portion of the building and called Mr. Stevenson. The fire was at this early stage easily extinguished. The firs had brokon out near the back door, anil in- : vestigation showed that a corn sack had bees 1 lighted. It burnt slightly into the flooriug. The sack was a new one similar to others a Mr. Stevenson's premises which had con- : tained crushed oats. About a quarter of an hour afterward; Mr. J. M. White, who carries on business as storekeeper at the corner of Karangah.i[» 'and Newton-roads, was awakened by the barking of his dog. and he then heard footsteps at the back, but thinking there was nothing to be stolen he took no further notico than to look out. Hβ saw a in.in going to-.valds Walker's. Shortly after 5 o'clock, however, he was awakened by MrCollins, a milkman, who was then drawing water from a well and extinguishing a fire in a small open shed abutting on the building. This fire had been caused by a lighted sack similar to that at Mr. Stevenson's, and apparently by a sack taken from Mr. Stevenson's premises. The next attempt was made at Morningside, in a store occupied by Mr. Dedman. The store is the property of Mr. Page, who lives in the adjoining house. At atou» 4 o'clock Mra. Page observed a glare, and called her son, who, on going outside, foiiiw the water closet of Dedman's store nearly burnt down. Mr. Dedman came to ins assistance, and I ctween them they put ou: the fire. This latter fire might possUilv have arisen by hot ashes being placed m tin closet, but the others were evidently luten--tional. The fnct, no kerosen*. or other dangeious innammable*'liiatti>?»3! been used would appear to indicate UV there was no act purpose, and the only reasonable conclusion i 3 that the whole thiy must be the work of a dangerous maniac.