Incendiarism.

New Zealand Police Gazette, Volume VII, Issue 14, 11 July 1883, Page 117

Incendiarism.

About 10 p.m. on the 23rd ultimo, at Charlton, Southland, a stack of oaten straw, the property of John Gilder, value £3O, was maliciously set on fire, by which it was destroyed. A stack of wlieaten straw' and 200 bags of oats, which stood near the oaten stack, were with much difficulty saved from destruction. The property was not insured.

On the morning of the 2nd ultimo, an unoccupied fourroomed weatherboard house in Adelaide Road, Wellington, the property of John Blanford, was discovered on fire, by which it and an adjoining house, also the property of Blanford, and occupied by James Scoones, were destroyed. At an inquest held on the 25th ultimo, by G-. B. Davy, Esq., Coroner, a verdict was returned to the effect that the fire was wilfully and maliciously caused. The houses were insured in the South British Office for £SO each, which is fully what they were worth.

On the morning of the 17th ultimo, at G-reenvale Station, near Kingston, a wool-shed, containing a wocl-press, three bales of rabbitskins, &c., value about £9OO, the property of William Sinclair Trotter, was destroyed by fire, which, it is supposed, was maliciously caused. An insurance for £BOO on the shed, in the New Zealand Office, lapsed on the day previous to the fire.

About 7.30 p.m. on the 16th of April last an hotel at Gore, the property of Edward Brennan, was maliciously set on fire, bub the fire was discovered and extinguished before much damage was done. The building, stock, and furniture, &c., were insured for their full value.

During the night of the 2nd ultimo, at Thurlby Domain, Speargrass Elat, near Arrowtown, two stacks of oats, the property of William Ross, value about £8 were maliciously set on fire, by which they were destroyed. The stacks were insured in the South British Office for £2OO. At au inquest held on the 9th ultimo, by C. C. Boyes, Esq., Coroner, the following verdict was returned: “ That tlie stacks were wilfully set on fire by some person or persons unknown, with intent to defraud the South British Insurance Company.”