FIRES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18013, 4 March 1924, Page 8

FIRES.

BLAZE AT ARROWTOWN. UPBESS /SSOCUTIOK tT.LZaB.\il.) INVERCARGILL, March 3. Fire on Sunday morning destroyed Jopp's Eoyal Oak Hotel, Arrowtown, and the shops of T. Ure (tobacconist) and H. Bruce (draper). When discovered the fire, which, still is a mystery, had a good hold, and the brigade was powerless, all three places being demolished in half-an-hour. The adjacent buildings, though scorched and blistered, were saved. Luekily there was no wind, or the greater part of the business section of the town would have been destroyed. The insurances are: Royal Oak Hotel, £1500; Ure's shop, £225; Bruce, £550. Jopp estimates his loss at £4OOO.

MUCH TIMBER LOST. (PBE3S ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) DUNEDIiSr, March 3. A serious fire occurred on Sundav night at Campbell's Siding, situated a mile from Tahakopa. A quantity of fallen manuka on the opposite side of the railway line was fired on Sunday morning, and at 7 p.m. the siding was ablaze. There was 250,000 feet of sawn timber on the siding, a large quantity bone dry. In consequence, the fire soon had a firm hold. Five railway trucks on the siding were quickly loaded with dressed timber, and shunted to safety. An effort was made to remove the remainder, but after 20,000 feet had been carried to safety, the heat became too intense for further operations, and the flames demolished the timber and siding, also a large shed. . The timber was insured, but there are no details as to the amount. A seaside crib at Mac Andrew Bay, valued at about £3OO, was totally destroyed by fire to-night. The place was unoccupied at the time of the outbreak.

A gorse and grass fire, which originated in a hedge a few chains from the Main South road, and which spread several miles before it was eventually got under control, broke ou€ about 11 a.m. on Sunday. The territorials at Burnham Camp along with a number of civilians, soon had the fire under control, but before it was extinguished considerable danger threatened the school and several dwellings in the vicinity.