FIRE AT ONEHUNGA.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 246, 19 October 1886, Page 2

FIRE AT ONEHUNGA.

Insurance. £189.

Aiiihit I o'clock thii morning a liro broko out iv tho premises of Mr James Gibbons, on tho beach, at tho foot of Norman's Hill, Onehunga. Tlio building was a largo shed closo to tho Into Commercial Hotel building. It was an old iron roofed building, nnd had onco beon used in connection with Gibhons's sawmill. Its contents consisted of machinery which was imported about 12 months ago from America to manufacture cooper*' staves and heads of various descriptions. This cost about £-100. In addition lo this an engine, somo tools, and other machinery woro also destroyed. Tlio coopeiing work had boon carried on by Mr J. Gibbons until about s-ovon weeks ago, when ho ceased operations. On tho loft of tho shod about 1,000 staves woio stored,and theso wero destroyed uith tie shed. Mr ,lame.» Gibbons states that ho cannot account for tho liro beyond tho suggestion that a spark from tho blacksmith's forgo might have j;ot into somo dry wood when ho and his brother wero casting somo white tangy metal tor machine bearings. Thoy both worked at 'ho firo up till 7 o'clock lust evening. When thoy loft, all tl c back doors of tho shed woro bolted, acd tlio front ono locked. Mrs Burnett, who resides closo by, stitts that sho was the lir-it to obsorvo tho flames issuing from the roof in the direction < f tho blacksmith's forge, which ivss pail ol tho building. She saw tho gl ire from her bedroom window, and immediately gavo the alarm. Her husband, Augustus Burnett, turned out and succeeded in saving his stublo, which was then in imminent d.- nger. Tho building was insured in tho Onion Company for ISO, and tho machinery for jC-100. MrGibbons estimates his loss at £1,000. When tho alarm was given, tho balls rang out, and Sergeant Greene wns quickly in attendance, but by that timothowhole promises woroonvolopcd in Humes.