FIRES.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20789, 24 February 1933, Page 17

FIRES.

hotel destroyed, practically nothing SAY 1,1). (rKKi* AsaotiiTios nu.'-.'jiiAii i I) \RGAYI LLE, February -«J. An outbreak of fire shortly boloro noon resulted in tlio total destrm-U«n ot' the Aratapu Motel. I lie sti uc u was nn old landmark on the waterfront at Aratapu, which formerly was «• nourishing sawmilliii}; township. The outbreak occurred at the roar of the building, near an old chimney attached to the kitchen ihere wa s no person in the back of tiio house at the time. When the licensee, AI her L Allan. Wiso wuc> m the bar, b«canie awaio 'that anything Has amj*, the lire had seemed a "JObanned by a westerly »ind tu flames upload rapulty. VMth a lac* of any tiro lighting lac'litieh. aiiy ' tempt to save the building would l av" been hopeless. The lire crackled ; u roared through the old tmikliiv' within a very briet time the buildup Svas completely enveloped m flames. A such speed did the firoKpfCad 'at practically no effects could bo Baitu. Tho county wharf, which adjoins uie hotel, was in serious danger. A str ""- band of workers was recruited, anu efforts were concentrated unon sa\ i = this structure. The wharf sited c»Ofc J (iro at one stage, but the V, S OI °"® efforts of a bucket brigade enabled to bo suppressed. Ml that remained of the hotel a little more than an hour was a mass of smoking doliris. A sfcnblo nt roar of the build in? remains *tjV ,flm -; Tho hotel, a tw'o-storevpd building, o 14 rooms, was owned by the estate o Mary Foley. OPTICIANS' CONFERENCE. * ty|T (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND. February 23. The Dominion Conference of the Institute of Opticians was concluded today. Next year's conference will be held nt Dunedin. Officers were elected as * ol '°\ " President, Mr E. A. Sargent (Weill ngton); vice-president, Mr R. Brook Taylor (Wellington); treasurer, Mr lJ - S. Gilberd (Wellington); centra) executive. Messrs F.'G. Hayes Towns, -\V T Wilson, and G. E. Cox ; general executive, Messrs R. A. Bridgman, G. K. Neill. N. H. Cox, and R. S. Lonsdale.