DESTROYED BY FIRE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30767, 3 June 1965, Page 14

DESTROYED BY FIRE

Wailieke Is. Hotel (N Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 2. Fire early this morning destroyed the private hotel at Cowes Bay, Waiheke Island. It had been almost re-built as part of a £lOO,OOO tourist resort being developed by McKendrick Consolidated industries, Ltd., of Auckland. The hotel had been closed for the last two years and a half and was due to be reopened at the end of 1966. The fire broke out in the kitchen building about 4 a.m. and residents, equipped only with a garden hose, stood by helplessly as flames roared through the 4000 square foot structure. The hose was used to wet down the adjoining farmhouse which was being licked by flames leaping across a 12foot gap. Mr F. Trout, the building contractor, said: “Had it been anything but a northerly wind the farmhouse would have gone too.” He estimated it would cost £20,000 for rebuilding. The alarm was given by Mr A. Chilton, a workman on the job, who broke a glass door in the farmhouse to wake four occupants. Nobody was living in the main building and tools worth hundreds of pounds were lost, Mr Trout said 'alterations were due to have been completed in about a week. He thought the building was about 80 years old. The company bought the hotel and 257 acres about two years and a half ago. ( Prices Up Stationery suppliers have advised schools that the price of writing pads and some exercise books has been raised by Id or 2d because of increased costs. Many pupils buy direct from schools but others use retail firms. One headmaster said suppliers should notify such changes publicly so that there would be no misunderstanding between parents and children about money required.