GREAT FIRE

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 274, 18 November 1902, Page 5

GREAT FIRE

CONFLAGRATION AT TAURANGA.

GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS AND BOROUGH OFFICES

BURNED

ALL RECORDS

DESTROYED

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

TAURANGA, yesterday

A most disastrous fire occurred here last night shortly before midnight. It was discovered that the Government Buildings, a fine block about one. hundred and twenty feet long by sixty feet deep, and two storeys high, were on fire, the flames breaking out of the centre of the back, where the staircase was situated, and under which was a cupboard used to store kerosene, and sundries. It was evident, that with the small appliances available there was no hope of saving the building. There was a gentle southwest breeze blowing, aud in a few minutes, before, in fact, half a dozen people were on the spot, the building was ablaze from end to end. In less than one hour from the discovery the building had totally collapsed. Absolutely nothing was saved. The building contained, all the local Government offices, Post and Telegraph, Magistrate's and Native Land Courts, land and survey, stock inspector's, registrar of elector's offices, borough, and council chambers, hence all local records of all descriptions were destroyed. Fortunately, no one was sleeping in the building, and no casualties occurred. The origin of the fire is at present a mystery. The telegraph officials fortunately had a set of spare instruments and batteries stored in another building, and by energetic work opened a temporary office in the Theatre Royal at nine o'clock this morning. It is a moot point whether there may not be some hitch in the P>ay of Plenty election through the fire, as the Native Land Court, g-azetted as the principal polling yilace, is now a heap of ashes. In the Registrar's safe, just opened, were found sufficient rolls nudam-ao-ed to run the election, but all the ballot boxes and many other necessaries were destroyed. This is undoubtedly the .greatest disaster that has befallen the town since the great fire of 1881. r T he above appeared in part of our last night's .edition.]