EXTENSIVE FIRE IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 234, 4 October 1888, Page 2

EXTENSIVE FIRE IN CHRISTCHURCH.

INSURANCES, £co,ooo.

(by telegraph—own correspondent.)

Ohiostchurcii, Wednesday. The only building completely destroyed by the fire this afternoon was that of Hobday and Company. As thei*" drapery and tailoring establishmon fc is one of the largest in the city, the loss of property is very great. The fire spread so fast that nothing was saved, the whole ol the stock being burned. Indeed, in 10 minutes after the alarm was given, the whole building, with all iv it. was burned. The flames threatened to extend across Cashel-street to the Al Hotel, and it was with great difficulty this building was raved,' but it has escaped, with bhe exception of the upstairs windows, and a good scotching. The shops on eaoh side of Hobday's are considerably injured in consequence of the hasty removal of the stock. The heat and flames were terrific for about ten minutes. Insurances, £500 on the furniture, £11,600 on the stock, and £6,250 on the building.

(BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Christch t;KCH, 'Wedn esd ay

A big fire brdke out ab two o'clock this afternoon. Hobday's Co-operative Company's; drapery establishment was destroyed. ■:.- ..The>..shops of W. Sandsteiii, jeweller; and Could and Co., chemists, •were seriously damaged, and the shop of Goodman, bootmaker, was slightly injured. The heat was so intense that the front of the hotel on the opposite side of Colombostreet wag severely scorched, all the windows being broken, as well as all the windows of the shop adjoining. The large skylight of Hallenatein's draper's shop, in Cashel-street, to the eastward of the lire, was broken.

Tll_ lire began on Hobday's upper floor, but how cannot be ascertained, a. the em ployees were absent at lunch. Th« flames Bpread throughout the building with wonderful rapidity, and the brigade could do no more than sa. c the neighbouring premises.

The following are the insurances so far as they can be ascertained :•—Gould and Co., chemists (greatly damaged stock) £500 in New Zealand Company. A £500 policy in the Imperial Company (Dalgety and Co., Limited) was allowed to lapse 14 days ago. Hobday's Co-operative Store Company's insurances : — Stock (destroyed): aSijOOO in Phcenix, £1,100 in Liverpool, London, and Globe, £2,000 in the South British, £1,000 in the Colonial, £2,500 in the Sun, £2,500 in the Union. £1,500 in the North German Equitable : total £11,600 on stock. Buildings: £500 in thePhconix, £1,500 in the Liverpool, London, and Globe, £1,000 in the South British, £1,000 in the Colonial, £1,000 in the North German Equitable, £1,000 in the Australian Alliance, £250 in the Plate glass Insurance Co., and fixtures £500 in the Liverpool, London, and Globe : total on brick buildings and fixtures, £6,750. The stock in the Only wooden building was insured for £300 in the Phoenix and £500 in the Colonial. Total insurances on Hobday's co-operative store, £19,150. Insurance on Sandstein's jewellery stock (damaged): In tho New Zealand office, £1,000, half reinsured in the Union (£500); in the South British, £800; in the Standard, £350 : total, £2,750. Fixtures :In Union, £200; in South British, £100 :in the Standard, £50 : to.al, J3Bo?^Td.al' of Sandstein's insurance, £3,100. Al Hotel,""* damaged to the extent of about £300, insured in the Colonial and Liverpool, London and Globe. Goodman's stock (damaged) insured for £300 in the Equitable. A considerable portion of the above is reinsured.