HOUSE BURNED DOWN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 121, 14 February 1908, Page 8

HOUSE BURNED DOWN.

CAT UPSETS A-LAMP. (BY TELEGUAriI.—FUESS : ASSOCIATION.) . Christchurch, February 13. A fire of au unusual-character, occurred at . Now Brighton on Tuesday' night., A twostory: house, owned and occupied by Mr. A. C. Hullett, was totally destroyed. The outbreak was caused by a wild cat which entered, the house, aud in its efforts to escape upset a lighted lamp, which rolled against the cui tains. The,flames,quickly caught the old dry. wood,.and strenuous efforts.of residents and (campers failed to master, the fire. The house and furniture w ; ere insured in the State Office for £200 and £10C respectively. Now Brighton is pestered with ownerless cats, which roam about the town, mostly left by summer visitors. A raid will now bo made to oxtcrminato, the cats.' SMOULDERING RUINS.' (BY TELEGRAPH—MtESS ASSOCIATION.). . . Christchurch, Februa.rv 13. The ruins of Wardell's factory,: ■which have been smouldering since tho.firo,last Thursday night, began to burn fiercely, this morning, and the Brigade had to got to. work. The shell of ! the building contained fifteen or twenty feet .of debris, apparently consisting mainly of bricks and cnarred . beams,' ana from this a dense cloud of snioko was rising with , aii amount, of force that, indicated a strong firo. underneath. There was no danger of tho firo spreading; but tho smoke.was a source of' . considerable annoyance to tho neighbouring' business premises. 'This afternoon tho Brigade was still'pumpihg water into tho ruins,but had, notV succeeded ; it suppressing tho fire. . - i" FIRE AT MAKARA. ... Advice received by the police yesterday stated that a five-roomed house at. Makara, owned by' Mr." William Hitchcock, of Nelson, and formerly of. Makara, had. been totally destroyed by. fire,, together with. a lean-to and dairy. No .reason can be given for the origin of the lire, which 'occurred; without auyof the residents of the district, knowing it had happened. The house was unoccupied at tho time," the farm being leased for grazing to Mr. William, James Bryant, of Ohariu. Mr. Bryant-visited the .place occasionally, and was there on Saturday, when ho cooked his dinner in tho house.- After-dinner lie put' tho' firo out .and went .away to. his own farm about 5 p.m.. He.did not/return until 10 o'clock .011 Wednesday- morning, when it was found that tho, house had'been totally destroyed. There Was about £70 or £80 worth of . furniture in the-house belonging to Mr. Hitchcock, and about £5 worth of effects owned by Mr. Bryant. Mr. . Bryant had had a, lease of the farm for. about 1 two years. ; - • HOUSE DESTROYED AT ALICETOWN.. A firo broke out in Alicetown about 1.30 a.m.. 011 Thursday, an oight-roomed house . (unoccupied) in Fitzherbert Street' being totally destroyed. The, origin of tho fire is unknown. The house was owned by Mm W. Whitehouse.