SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM AT EDEN TERRACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7773, 20 October 1886, Page 5

SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM AT EDEN TERRACE.

» ■ On Monday evening between eight and nine o'clock a fire in an incipient stage was discovered in the block of shops in Eden Terrace, of which Mr. T. B. Hill, chemist, Queen-street, is the proprietor. The follow" ing are|the particulars, so far as they can be ascertained :—Last Friday Messrs. Cottrell and Co., of Upper Quean>street and Karang. abape Road, rented one of the shops from Mr. Hill in order to open a branch establish , ment, and commenced to stock it on Monday. At about half-past eight o'clock Mr. Pinnison, who resided next door, observed smoke coming through the dividing wall, and at once concluded Mr. Cottrell's premises were on fire, and he consequently ran to the back door, but found it locked. On examining the window he found it was not fastened, and ho went by it to the room, though almost driven back by the body of smokeinsido. Quickly unlocking the door, as the key was in the lock, tie gave the alarm, and Mr. Hill, junior, came to his aid, and by their joint exertions, the flames were extinguished. On examination, the flames were found to arise from a quantity of bedding and mattresses found in the room. The manager of the firm was at the shop on Monday, but when be left in the evening, the plaoe seemed safe and secure. Mr. Cottrell could throw no light on the origin of the fire. It seems a proposal to Insure the stock for £200 had been made to the Norwich Union Company, by Messrs. Cottrell and Co., on Monday, but the premium had not been paid, the company agreeing, however, to cover the premises for a week, till they could be visited and the stock inspected. The detectives were yesterday busy investigating the case, as there is reason to suspect that the fire owes its origin to an incendiary.