WHANGAREI FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22197, 26 August 1935, Page 10

WHANGAREI FIRE

JEWELLER'S PREMISES SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES GRILLE OVER WINDOW FORCED [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT - ] WHANGAREI, Sundty Suspicious circumstances surround a fire, which, was discovered at 11 o'clock to-night in the premises in Cameron Street occupied by Mr. J. Maurer watchmaker and jeweller. A passing taxicab driver noticed smoke issuing from the building and the Whangarei volunteer fire brigad« was able to suppress the outbreak be. fore much damage was done. A numbei of watches and clocks was affected bj water and smoke. An investigation following the fire showed that an iron grille covering a rear window had been forced, and entrance to the building gained by this method. The manager, Mr. W. Maurer, stated that several jewellery drawerj had been opened and that some rings had been removed from the front display window. At .present he was un« able to give an indication as to thd quantity of jewellery that had disap. peared. The fire began in a mattress neai the strongroom in the rear of the building. The strongroom door, however, showed no signs of having been tam* pered with. OUTBREAK IN WHAKATANE • CYCLE AND SHED DESTROYED [BT TELEGRAPH —OWN COR R Erf TON D K Vt} WHAKATANE. Sunday The wooden premises of the Union Bank of Australia in Whakatane nar« rowly escaped being damaged by fire at about 4.45 this morning, when a coal 'shed belonging to the bank and situated Bft. from the bank building was destroyed by fire. The flames were just reaching the bank when the Whakatane Fire Brigade arrived and extinguished the outbreak. A motorcycle stored in the shed was destroyed. CATHOLIC CHURCH DAMAGED LOSS OF FURNISHINGS [from our own correspondent] WELLINGTON, Sunday Fire badly damaged the interior of the St. Vincent dje Paul Roman Catholifl Church at Northland about 10.30 p.m. on Saturday night. Although it is no! possible to assess the full amount of the damage it is thought that the loss will be fairly heavy. The outbreak U believed to have originated in a sacristy behind the altar and from there ill quickly spread into the nave of the church. All the altar furnishings were reduced to cinders and of the sacred pictures on the walls oniy charred frames remained,