THE METHODIST CHURCH DESTROYED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxi, Issue 5055, 5 March 1900, Page 3

THE METHODIST CHURCH DESTROYED.

The Press says :—Shortly after 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon an alarm of fire was given, an outbreak havirg been discovered in the St Aeaph Btreefc Free Methodist Church Christchurch. It is supposed io have started io a room on the west side at tho iear of the main building, but its origin is a mystery. The Brigades were on tha spo^. promptly, and coon had several lengths of hose laid from the Tuam street sump, fiom whence a good supply of water w»s obtained, but as after events proved, altogether inadequate to deal successfully frith the fire, as there waa, in addition, a atrong north west wind blowing, and cburch and school were destroyed. This was the fifth time on which a fire was discovered in the church, but on other occasions it was extinguished before very much damige was done.

Personal—Mr O&born Coombe, piano tuner, will b; in Ashburton on Monday next. 12th in«t, and will remain here for about a weok

The Freezing Company's Pic.vio-A large number of employees, their families and tciends, left by special train this morning for the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company's picnic at Rakaia.

Houses Fok Thb Wobking Pook.—The Prince of Wales in opening the London County Council's first house for the working poor ab Shoreditch, provided at a cost of £633,000, applauded this attempt to solve tha greatest social problem.

Obituary—A W F Halcombe, aged 66 formerly a well-known resident of Feilding district, but latterly of Urenui. He was Provincial Secretary at Wellington from 1854 lo 1870, and afterwards agent for the Ma» c'n« ster special settlement. —• Press Aa oaiation telegram.

The Fourth Contingent— Tha Nelson men for th 2 fourth contingent on their arrival by the Tainne afc Dunedin, were me; by >he Mayor and members of the Organising Cjmmitfcee. The Mayor welcomed tha men and called for 'hree cheers for them and for Mr Harley, Mayor of Nelson, who acco np&nies them.—Press Association telegram.

IndustbialSchools.—A Press Association telegram from Wellington says :—The Government is negotiating for a site near Christ church for a girls Reformatory bo that the Burnham Indubtrial fo' o>l can be kept solely for boys. The Caversham Industrial School is to be reserved for girls and ib is proposed to erect an Industrial Sc 00l at Wellingfon for the boya.

Important Case.—ln the Magistrate^ Court, Wellington, to-day, the police proaecuved Orr, & chemist, under the Off nsive Publication Act* The prosecution was in connection with certain pills. Nothing appeared on the outside cover of a nature to which exception could be taken, but the inside was certain ills which it said could be cared, and in this the off;nce is said to be contained. Orr denied any knowledge of what waa in the packet, which was sealed. The case is an important one bearing on patent medicines, and the Magistrate reserved judgment until Friday. — Press Association telegram.