SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 28, 1 February 1913, Page 5

SOUTHERN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) FIRE AT ST. KILDA. DUNEDIN, Friday. A store and dwelling owned by Mr L. Spooner, and occupied by Mr J. Carman, in Fergusson Street, St. Kilda, were destroyed by fire this morning. Mr Carman was awakened a little after three o'clock by a noise of something falling in a bedroom, and found the house on fire. The fire had so strong a hold that it was necessary to remove the children, through a window. It is thought the fire originated from a candle left burning. The furniture and effects were insured for £100 and the 6tock for £45 in the State Office. BOAT ACCIDENT FEARED. WELLINGTON, Friday. A man named Richard Attew Webb left the boat harbour on Wednesday morning in a sailing boat, and has not been seen since. During Wednesday night a strong northerly wind raised a choppy sea in the harbour, and it is feared that Webb, who was a married man, 65 years of age, residing at Newtown, has been lest. DUNEDIN FTRE RECORD. DUNEDTN, this day. The fire brigade superintendent ('Mt. Napier) reports that for six months ending December 31st there were thirtysix fires in buildings. Insurances on the property affected totalled £143,800. The loss, however, to insurance companies ■was only £9,380. The value of insured property in which fires occurred was £23.545! while the loss -was only £176. The heaviest individual loss was FintHay and Co., £5,200. To date there have 'been 89 calls, of which 42 were serious fires. WEST COAST NEEDS. nOKITTKA, Friday. The Hon. F. M. B. FisheT, Minister for Marine, was waited on by a deputation with reference to a steamer service, serving the South Westland settlements. The Minister, in the course of a sympathetic reply, said the Government policy was to assist those communities that showed a desire to help themselves, and if, as was mooted, the settlers and residents arranged for a suitable boat, the Government would give a subsidy towards the cost, of construction, and also provide a mail subsidy under reasonable conditions.