AN INCENDIARY FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2642, 26 October 1909, Page 5

AN INCENDIARY FIRE.

ARREST-AT INVERCARGILL. fPnu Press Association.! INVERCARGILL, Oct. 25. A fire occurred at the Friendly Societies’ dispensary at 5 o’clock on 'Sunday morning, the shop being gutted and the stock seriously damaged. Robert Pollock, manager, who slept upstairs, descended by a rope and gave the alarm. The brigade promptly arrived, and by means of a ladder rescued three women, one an invalid, who lived upstairs. Two men escaped by the back door. A powerful stream of water soon subdued the flames. The insurances on the dispensary building were £750 in the Commercial Union office and £250 in the New Zealand office, and on the stock £6OO in the Commercial Union office. The damage amounts to £I2OO. A. Burton, confectioner, who occupied the adjoining premises, had £95 on the stock, winch was damaged by water. In connection with the fire which destroyed the premises of the United Friendly Societies’ Dispensary early on Sunday morning, and concerning which incendiarism was suspected, Detective Cameron arrested Victor "V on Tunzelmann at the Bluff this afternoon. Von Tunzelmann admitted having ptolen some £2B from the safe in the shop Avliile the dispenser was asleep upstairs and then set fir© to the premises. He was formerly employed as an assistant in the dispensary, and consequently knew the run of the place. When arrested at the Bluff lie had spent a portion of the stolen money in purchasing a new outfit of clothes. He will appear before the Court to-morrmv to answer charges otf burglary and incendiarism.