DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT COLLINGWOOD.

THE BUSINESS TOWN DESTROYED' TWENTY RESIDENTS BURNT OUT. ENORMOUS LOSSES. (From Our Own'Correspondent ) (By Telegraph.) COLLINGWOOD, This Day. A disastrous fire which practically mado a cloan sweep of tho whole of Collingwood occurred thie morning. Just before 1 o'clock flames wore found issuing from the cMm^ey of Stallard's bakehouse. A very' strong westerly wind was blowing tho flames on to Bait's ['general store immediately in front, which soon became ignited, and in a few minutes it was appaieut that tho town svas doomed. The two adjoining houses, tho large dwoliiug of MrG. 11. Allan, and Stallard's boarding house, were soon a great mass of flames, and shortly the fire spread across the street, first igniting the post office. Cottioi's boot shop, and then Pinkerton's hotel. At 2 a.m. the sight was most appalling. The g:ilo lashed tho flames into fury, and great masses of fire snd smokt wero carried tj seaward, lighting up the country for long distances around, disclosing large numbers of men, women and children busily engaged in rescuing what was possible fr)m the fire. Just before 3 o'clock heavy rain, witl Uinding squalls, came on, adding groatei splendour to the weird scene but apparently having very littlo effect on the piogress of tho conflagration. It wai broad dayight beforo tho host of willing workers relaxed their efforts to save valuable property, and much of tho valiu of their work was detracted from by th( teeming rair. which destroyed greal quantities of furniture, eto , saved fron the fire, i Twenty business places were destroyed ' including botli holels— Prussing's Posl Office Hotel nnd Pinkerton's Collingwood Hotel. The latter was only last weel leased by Mr T. Mortimer. The fire noxt sp t ead to tho Collingwooc Post and Telegraph Office, G, H. Allan'i newspaper office aad dwelling. It. N Allan's trenoral store and dwelling, L Rait's general store and dvoUiue, E. T Ra'l'd general store J. Kirks saddler'i phop, T. A, Miles' boot shop and dwelline; Stallard's boarding house and ba'-ory Hargreavos' butcher shop and now larg< dweiling in course of erection, H. Ellis dwelling and Bhop (the latter occupied bj the Anckland Clothing and Drapery Co.) ; the Collingwood Public Hall. G. W Riley's now boarding honse of twouti rooms onlv just coinpleteel, J. M, Davis ; boarding house, Piussinsr'fi cottage anc sample room, and many (ether outbuild--1 ings, stables, storerooms, ott: This morning the town is a blackenct and smoking heap of refuso, f.ui mounted " by do/ons of chimneys, not one solitarj building being left fronting the mail street. 1 lho almost superhuman offo.-ts of r 1 largo number of volunleois saved sevora \ dwellings on the beach, whither lhe higl we*nd carried tho flairos aid sparks Not*--1 ab'e among Ilio workers was Mr J. King ' Government Audit Inspector, to whose energy aro du f « the saving of Mr P, West's dwelling and office. Tho onlv business placo loft stan ling '. is W. C. Riley and Co.'s store in W:lliaui - Street. Many of the residents had a narrow . escape, but no serious accidont occurred, \ and a gooel deal of valuable effects was i saved although several ponplo in the vicinity of the outbreak, notably Messrs Rait, 0. II Alton, lost practically evoryI thing Mot a vestige of tho " Golden Bay : Argus ' newspaper plant has been saved. Nearly all tho buildings and contents destroyed are insured, but tho exact r . amounts are not yet ascertainable. f Steps are being talcen to restore tolegraphic communication with Collingwood . tho nearest available station now being B Para Para. ,