BLAZE IN TE KUITI.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 204, 29 August 1929, Page 8

BLAZE IN TE KUITI.

TWO STORES DAMAGED, MERCHANTS LOSE HEAVILY. MAORIS MUCH CONCERNED, '(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) TE KUITI; this day.

Ono of the most disastrous and spectacular blazes in the history of Te Kuiti occurred at one o'clock this morning, when fire broke out' in Messrs. Barraud and Abraham's buildings in King Street. The firemen - fought heroically against great odds to prevent the flames from spreading to the Kelvin private hotel and to Lever's bakery adjoining.

The fire centred on the premises occupied by.Mr. A. E. Cooke, grocer and general merchant", which were completely destroyed, leaving only the concrete portion of the building facing King Street.

The fire next spread to Barraud and Abraham's large store room, an iron warehouse. This was saved, but the old Congregational Church building in Taupiri Street, in which there was stored a quantity of grass seed and wire, was destroyed.

Messrs. Barraud and Abraham's buildings were insured by the New Zealand Insurance Company for £2000, and Mr. Cooke's grocery was covered in the Insurance Office of Australia for an amount not disclosed. Mr. Cooke loses heavily, as ho had only yesterday landed a heavy stock of crockery and hardware. Large heaps of potatoes and maize were at mid-day still steaming likes a great kapa Maori, before the view of a large number of natives who had assembled to witness a football match for the Ratana Cup. The natives are impatiently awaiting the arrival of assessors to decide the fate of the potatoes and corn.

THAMES HOUSE DESTROYED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) THAMES, this day. A live-roomed house owned by Mr. C. Strange was destroyed by firo about 10 p.m. yesterday. As it stood some distance from the town water supply, the fire brigade organised a bucket brigade, but their efforts had little effect. The owner of the house is working at Kaihere, and his brother was occupying it, but he was absent. At 5.30 p.m. the fire brigade had been called to a chimney fire in Mr C. Ansford's house in Hape Street. It is thoughjfc that a spark from the chimney caused* , 'the fire ia Mr. Strange's house,