Historic N.Z. books lost after fire

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34127, 13 April 1976, Page 3

Historic N.Z. books lost after fire

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 12. Historic manuscripts and antique books were destroyed or badly damaged in the aftermath of the fire which ravaged Mercer’s building, in central Wellington, today.

Part of a priceless collection painstakingly built up over 23 years by the owner of Smiths Bookshop. Mr Dick Reynolds, they are a loss for the whole country—not just for Mr Reynolds, New Zealand’s only member of the International Association of Antiquarian Booksellers.

Although the shop escaped the flames which gutted two top-floor warehouses, it was deluged by the thousands of gallons of water firemen pumped on to the fire. Tonight, a shocked Mr Reynolds said he had no idea how much of his stock was damaged before firemen managed to spread tarpaulins over the shelves.

Probably the most important single loss was a series of pamphlets printed by the missionary-explorer, William Colenso.

“There were a lot of missionary texts, and details of his explorations,” Mr Reynolds said.

Also missing is a manuscript written by a Mrs Bedlington, the eldest daughter of Gilbert Mair. She was bom in the Bay of Islands in 1823, and the manuscript, written when she was in her 90s, contains unique reminiscences about New Zealand’s earliest days.

A long poem on New Zealand mythology, written by the historian, Elsdon Best, is another possible casualty. The National and Turnbull Libraries have offered help in restoring damaged books, but Mr Reynolds has no idea

when he will be able to reopen his shop. “At least my bibliography and book references weren’t too badly damaged,” he said. While 40 firemen fought the blaze from Victoria Street and Mercer Street, workers were ordered to leave an adjacent high-rise building project.

The building has reached its eighteenth floor, and the site manager (Mr David Comparini) decided on the evacuation as the top 13 floors all have large quantities of timber stacked on them.

The fire began on the top floor of Mercer’s building, in the area of a communal lunchroom for people working in several office and warehouse premises. It is believed that no-one was on the floor when the fire was noticed at 8.25 a.m.

Shops already open on the ground floor along the Mercer Street and Willis Street sides of the building were evacuated, and the others stayed closed. The fire had spread through the top floor from front to back as firemen broke open a door on Victoria Street to gain access to the stairway. While they fought the fire from the inside, other firemen cut trolley-bus wire supports in Mercer Street to allow a snorkel machine to get close, and its articulated arm was swung over the roof.

At the height of the blaze flames leapt nine metres above the building. While firemen wearing breathing apparatus tried to reach the heart of the blaze on the top floor of the building, ammunition was removed from Isco’s sports store below and was guarded in the street outside by policemen. One fire officer suffered minor cuts.

The fire was brought under control by 8.55 a.m. Peak hour commuter traffic was disrupted.

Fabrics damaged

Furnishing and fabric importers’ stocks worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were damaged. Elliston’s Furnishers contained furnishings and bedspreads from Japan; all were damaged. The storerooms of Freeman’s fabric importing business were burnt out. They contained fabric ready to be manufactured into children’s clothing.