A man accused of setting fire to the New Zealand Prime Minister's electoral office appeared in the Waitakere District Court on Saturday morning, and was remanded in custody until a bail hearing on Monday.

The 31-year-old West Auckland laborer was granted interim name suppression when he made a brief first appearance in the court, New Zealand Press Association reported on Saturday.

He was arrested on Friday, and faces two charges of intentionally damaging property by fire.

The first count relates to an incident at the Helensville Rugby Club on Aug. 21.

The second arises from a fire at John Key's office in his Helensville electorate.

The Fire Service was called to a small blaze at the Kumeu property at 3 a.m. on Thursday.

The fire started when a bottle filled with flammable liquid was thrown at a window of the office. Little damage was caused and no one was in the building at the time.

Key said at the time that he had no idea why his office was attacked.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2009)