INCENDIARIST AT LARGE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1929, Page 11

INCENDIARIST AT LARGE

CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION HEAVY DAMAGE TO BULK STORE ANOTHER BUILDING SET’ ALIGHT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, July 22. Damage estimated at £lO,OOO was done late last night when the bulk store of J. M. Heywood, Ltd., Dundas Street, was damaged by fire. The outbreak was, it is believed, the work of a fire maniac who is at large in the city. The padlock was missing from the front door, the building being open. Heywood's building" was full of furniture in eases, the property of clients of the company. This had apparently been deliberately and the dry timber of the cases and furniture burned furiously. When the storeman left the premises at noon on Saturday the building was safe and carefully locked up. The outbreak was discovered at 11.22 last night.

The insurances were £1250 on the building in the Phoenix Office and on the stock £3OOO in the Norwich Union as well as part in other companies. With a constable only ten yards away an ineendiarist set lire, about eight o’clock, to tjie sample rooms at Ambler and Co., which are next to the'garage of R. C. Dobson, which has twice previously been set alight. Slight damage was done. When the fire was detected the glass panel in the door had been smashed. Stuffed into this gap was a white motorist’s dustcoat, which is now in the possession of the police. It is probable that the ineendiarist used the coat to cover his hand when he smashed the glass in the door. He apparently put a light to a cloth dust cover which had been laid over the nobds. This cover was burnt and the goods which were underneath were badly charred. The sum of £25 will cover the damage.

Other sensational incidents during the week-end was an attempt, early on Sunday morning, to enter the shop of Hammond and Turner, Ltd., the premises in which Mr. E. Hammond was seriously wounded by a burglar on Tuesday nignt. A heavy glass panel was smashed in the front door, but the burglar was’unable to manipulate the locks and eould.not gain admittance. By a similar method of self-help a "rocerv shop in Lincoln Road was entered about the same time. Nothing was stolen.