Incendiarism.

New Zealand Police Gazette, Volume V, Issue 17, 24 August 1881, Page 141

Incendiarism.

£SO Reward. Whereas on the night of the 11th instant a 21-ton ketehi called the “ XXX,” the property of Mr. Alexander Muuro> was destroyed by fire in Corsair Bay, Lyttelton Harbour : And whereas there is reason to believe the said fire was wilfully done : Notice is hereby given that a reward of £SO will be paid by the Government for such information as will lead to the conviction of the person or persons who caused the fire aforesaid. H. E. Reader, Wellington, 20th August, 1881. Commissioner.

Between 5 p.m. on the 11th and 4 a.m. on the 12th instant, at Corsair’s Bay, near Lyttelton, the ketch “ XXX,” the property of Alexander Munro, valued about £IOO, and a shipwrights’ shed, 30 by 18 feet, containing a quantity of tar, pitch, oakum, shipwrights’ tools, &c., the property of Malcolm Miller, valued £l5O, were maliciously destroyed by fire. It is believed that the ketch, which was on Mr. Miller’s slip for repairs, was first set on fire, and that the fire extended to the shed, which was only a few yards from the vessel. The ketch formerly belonged to George Taylor Clark, a master mariner, residing at Lyttelton, who, the day preceding the fire, was ordered by an injunction from the Supreme Court to hand the vessel over to Alexander Munro. The property was not insured. A reward of £2O is offered by Messrs. Miller and Munro for information that will lead to the conviction of the person who set fire to the ketch.

(See Police Gazette, 1881, page 81.) Burning of two ricks of oats at Fen Court, the property of Every Maclean. —Daniel O’Brien, a tramp, has been arrested by Detective Richard Doolan, Cambridge Police, on suspicion for this offence, and has been remanded for medical examination, as he is believed to be insane.

On the morning of the 12th instant, at Oxford West, a blacksmiths’ and carpenters’ shop, the property of James Clutterbuok, value £l6O, was, with contents, maliciously destroyed by fire. The shop, tools, stock, &c., were insured in the London and Lancashire Office for £2lO.

On the morning of the 13th ultimo, at Makarewa River, Forest Hill, Southland, an old four-roomed wooden house, four stacks of oats, a stack of barley, and a cow-shed, the property of Findlay McDonald, were maliciously destroyed by fire. Mr. McDonald, who was alone in the house, says that he found the house, cow-shed, and stacks all on fire at the same time, although several chains apart. The property was insured in the New Zealand Office in excess of its value.