SUSPICIOUS FIRES OCCUR AT NAPIER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19269, 5 January 1931, Page 14

SUSPICIOUS FIRES OCCUR AT NAPIER.

CHURCH AND UNOCCUPIED HOUSE ARE SET ALIGHT Per Press Association. NAPIER, January 4. Two fires, which appear to have been the outcome of incendiarism, occurred in Napier on Saturday, one in the early hours of the morning and the other late at night. In the first case slight damage was done to St Patrick’s Church, a very large wooden building in Munro Street, and in the second an untenanted house of six rooms was completely gutted. The fire at the Catholic Church was first noted shortly before 3 a.m. by a resident in the vicinity, and on the arrival of the brigade it was discovered that the steps and flooring at the side entrance were alight. The flames were extinguished before any very extensive damage was done. Early on Saturday afternoon, the police arrested a labourer named Samuel Hazlett, who was subsequently charged with arson and remanded to January 12. House Gutted. An unoccupied six-roomed house in Harvey Road, Napier, the property of Mrs Rowell, of Napier, was completely gutted by fire late on Saturday night. The back part of the house was well alight when the brigade arrived. Some delay occurred in locating the fire plug, and when it was found the water pressure was not very good, otherwise the outbreak might have been checked more readily. At is was, when the flames were subdued little beyond the scarred skeleton of the house remained. The building was insured for £llOO in the Mercantile and General office. When the brigade reached the house, fire appeared to have been started in two places, and, though doors and windows had been locked since the place was vacated some weeks ago, one window was up about six inches. Fusing of electric wires is not possible, as. current had. been cut off. The police are investigating.