GUM STOCKS SAVED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 290, 8 December 1931, Page 8

GUM STOCKS SAVED.

FIRE IN CUSTOMS STREET. ONLX MINOR DAMAGE DONE. FIRM LOSES OFFICE RECORDS. The city fire brigade this morning saved a large quantity of kauri gum from destruction by a. fire which broke out shortly after 9 o'clock in the Excelsior Buildings, Customs Street, just opposite the junction of Commerce Street. Mr. P. Kokick, one of the principals in the firm of J. A. Sumich, proprietors of the gum store, left the office on the third floor to go upstairs to arrange for the storing of more- gum that was expected shortly. "When he returned to

the stairhead some few minutes later, he was met by a wall of dense black enioke. He gave the alarm, and two of the city engines turned out, and succeeded in confining the flames to the- office in a corner of the thii'd floor. Just through the partition were thousands of sacks of gum, while the two floore above were also packed with gum, the whole representing a value of over £10,000. Only a few sacks were damaged. The office ■ was badly gutted, records of all kinds being destroyed. In a show case in one corner was a collection of finely polished gum, -which, in the palmy days of the gum- industry, had cost £250 to get together. It was scarcely harmed. Water caused minor damage to other premises on the second floor. The firemen had difficulty in gaining acceee to the rear portions of the building, as the fire escape, for part of its length, was almost entirely lacking in rungs. They had to use a collapsible ladder from the machine. Insurance covered the building for £9000 in Lloyd's Office, and Sumkh's stock was covered to the extent of £6000 in the same office.