Incendiarism.

New Zealand Police Gazette, Volume V, Issue 23, 16 November 1881, Page 191

Incendiarism.

On the morning of the 28th ultimo, at Heddon Bush Run, Southland, a barn 60 by 20 feet, containing about one thousand two hundred bushels of oats, four or five tons of hay, half a ton of chaff, four or five bags of grass-seed, two reaping-machines, a threshing-mill, a chaff-cutter, and a number of farming implements, the property of Richard Spence, valued £650, were destroyed by fire, which it is believed was wilfully caused. The barn was insured in the Standard Office for £2OO, and the contents of the barn in the New Zealand Office for £l5O.

On the night of the 30th ultimo, at Winton Bush, Southland, an unoccupied two-roomed wooden house, valued between £4O and £SO, the property of Michael Marky, was destroyed by fire, which it is supposed was wilfully caused. The house was insured in the Victoria Office for £IOO.

About midnight on the 30th ultimo an unoccupied fiveroomed weatherboard house, in New Street, Christchurch, the property of Michael Murphy, was maliciously destroyed by fire. The house was insured in the Standard Office for £IOO.

During- the night of the sth instant a wooden gate and 36 yards of a gorse fence at Rangitata Island, the properly of William Kennedy, were maliciously destroyed by fire. Suspicion attached to William Sandford. (See Police Gazette , 1878, page 20.)

On the morning of the 19th ultimo, at Two-Mile Creek, near Queenstown, an unoccupied seven-roomed house, the property of George Beer, was destroyed by fire, which it is supposed was wilfully caused. At an inquest held a verdict was returned that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated. The house was insured for £l5O.