TIJE FIRE AT COLLLNGWOOi).

AN EYE -WITNESS' . ACCOUNT. THE LOSSES AND THE SALYAOE. I SYMPATHY FROM NELSON. i One of thi* residents in the vicinity ol" Collingwood, who took an active part in the rescue work at the fir.', and who was present throughout tlu* conflagration, has giv-en usjan account of the losses a/nd sal- • v age. | £ . In (lie first place, he said he voiced the general complaint of the re- | sklents of Collingwood that the ' Courthouse was not opened for the shelter of the women and children, many of whom were thinly chwl throughout the rest of the night. He alleged that the : constable in charge was asked to : open the building, but that the of- ; ficer said he could not do so, as he : had not authority. This matter [ should be strictly inquirod into. With regard to the outbreak, the ' spread, the losses and the salvage, our informant Says that as soon as the news of the firo spread residents j from Rockville, Ferntown and Bainhajn carno into Collingwood as fast as possible with carts and horses and willing bands. u y i pm , yos _ tend ay all the furniture, goods, &c. which had been rescued Ave re stored in tho houses and sheds which remained. .\'ei.gi>bours and others in j a position to do so extended the | greatest kindness to the victims of the conflagration. ! Whon the fire first broke out at Stallard's bakery, a'l the residents rushed to the localitv, and. hence although the. bakery itself was soon I dest roy i-d with its contents, the I abundance of help contrived to j save a. great deal of the furniture, etc., irom the .boa ivi ing house. In fact, the loss of the contents of the ■boarding-house was comparat ivolv liffht. Mr Richard A liar,, svuiVkeepor. also saved almost all his goods, and Riley's boarding-hou«e was in a .similarly fortunate position, The latter, however, lost some bedsteads, and some .bedding took fire after it had been got out side the house. Mr R. EHUt sawd nearly all his furry tuv-o, ""but. the goods m the sfcop adjoining, owned by the Auckland Clothing & Drapery to mpany, were completely destroyed. Mr Richard Allari. store keeper, Bayed a good clo^l. Of the two hotels, -Jj,. M fl rtimer's was* the greater \wv. At Prussing's, howover, & great deal was saved. Among those who are at n bract iea ly total loss aro IVlessrs O. H AJSJ Oi"vspape;->, Cottier (boot..nop), Knit general store), Alfred S\ (bootmaker), Ikr^reavos (butcher), who saved only his Work w a r Sld ,? of meal - E * T- Birev- ( toic), Collingwood Public* Hall which saved only the bj a no th", J ost and Telegraph Office M Hunter saved only a ftnv telephones ding an °' ,SOm ° furnit «™ H'Hl bedM'* 3, Alley's dwpllinpr had a UM'J* narrow escape, but it w^ f"^ th °]JffH. the Hvery st^bfi were burnt down.. ft*^«»» Mr Kirk, saddler, lost a n-r^t quantity of goofls. One box which had beei} salvaged contained £1 *",f> worth of- goods, Tt had been left outside the burning store, when it. eang-ht fire and was dostrovod with its contents. Mr Kirk's house was j saved by the lu\rd work of the rescue party, \IMr J M. Daviee- house a good deal of furniture was wulvrtgod, but by no meajjs all. .So far as the supnlv of neres- I sarjes is concerned, Ki>ey*s big

store on tho beach, which escaped, is well stocked with miscellaneous articles, and the immediate wants of the losers have been supplied as well as possible in tho circumstances. lt is probable that a relief fund will be ..started in Nelson at once, and already a letter in another column requests donations of clothing, etc.. to relieve immediate •wants. Of a necessity after such a fire the most ordinary conveniences of daily life must be lacking! to a greater or less extent. | It is understood that probably an iriquiry will bo held into the cause of the outbreak. The Mayor of Nels ji yesterday telegraphed the sympathy of tho citizens, and asked if pecuniary as- ; sistance was required by tho sufferers. ... j Mr A. T. Maginnity also wired yesterday sympathising with the sufferers, stating that the Puponga. Steamship Company was prepared to place the steamer Ngnnguru at the disposal of the sufferers, n it was necessary. A similar offer has til so been made .by Mr Burford. |