LANDMARK DESTROYED.
MISSION HOUSE AT PARAWAI.
BUILT BY MAORI CONVERTS
SPECTACULAR BLAZE
(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) THAMES, this day. The most historic house in the Thames ,and probably* one of the earliest European dwellings in the province was totally destroyed by fire at Parawai last evening. Everything -was lost and the occupants escaped in their night attire. The house was the old .mission house ' built by Maori converts under the direction of the Revs. Maunsell and Davis, when Taipare, a chief at Parawai, granted, land at Parawai to replace the mission site at Puriri. This had been established a few years before in about 1832. The mission house was a landmark of the district ovfring to the height of its situation. In the early days a light was kej>t continuously burning at a window, and this was probably the first example of a lighthouse on New Zealand. Nothing was saved owing to there being no water supply available, and the fire was most spectacular. It was seen all over the Hanraki Plains. The amount of the insurance on the building is not available. The occupants lost everything.
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 3, 5 January 1931, Page 5
Word Count
186LANDMARK DESTROYED. Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 3, 5 January 1931, Page 5
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