FIRE AT 0NEHUNGA.—THE COURTHOUSE HOTEL DESTROYED.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3404, 13 June 1868, Page 4

FIRE AT ONEHUNGA.— THE COURTHOUSE HOTEL DESTROYED.

INFORMATION wm received in town yesterday by Mr. ConfmiftMoner Naughton that a fire had occurred at Onehunga at half-pasb three o'clock yetfcerday morning, by which the Court- house Hotel, owned and occuped by Mr. H. Powning Stark,' was totally destroyed. The fire is said to. haye been first discovered by Miss Stark, who at on ca aroused her parents, anH the whole of the inmates were coon in a place of safety. > t the tune of the fire them were eiifhf. persons residing in the luilding, viz., Mr. and Mrs Stark, four chi'dren ; Mrs. Rkeene a lodger • tod the servant. So rapid was the progress of the the flames, that it was as much as the intna*es could manage to do to save their own lives; and the whole of th» household and personal property was totally destroyed, the only things cared being a few clothe* from oni- of the back rooms. A large crowd of people collected round the scene of the conflagration, and every assistance that it was possible to render was most willingly given. The family found shelter for the rest of the morning in the house of one of the neighbours. Police-constable Lloyd was on the spot, and rendered very valuable assistance. We learn that the hou>e wa« insured for the sum of £600, in the office of the Royal Insurance Company ; the goods and furniture destroyed were, however, unfortunately uninsured. Our Onehunga correipondent writes : — " The fire was first observed at the back part of the house, the wind at the time being strong from the west. The whole building was soon in a blaze, and, in abont half an hour, nothing remained of one of the most substantial-built houses but two out of three chimneys. One fell very quickly ; at the same time a loud report was heard, supposed to be caused l»y some gunpowder, in flasks, belonging to a gentleman staying there, which must have exploded in the firtplace of the fallen chimney. We regret to say the unfortunate proprietor, Mr. H. P. Stark, was unable to remove anything, and had to make the quickest escape possible with Mrs. Stark, family, and honiehold. The furniture, bar fittings, and stock were uninsured : the building in insured in the R»yal only one-fourth of the original Cost. It was bnilt by the former proprietor, Mr. 8. J. Williams, in 1864, at an outlay of £2,400. The three bouses opposite were occupied by Messrs. Qninn, Driver, and Walker, For tome time it was doubtful whether they would not have to share the lame fate, but, owing to the strenuous exertions of a few persons under the direction of constable Lloyd, they managed to keep the roofs and other parts of the houses saturated with water. As it was, the front of the buildings was considerably scorohed, and the canvas-top verandah of "Quinn's was soon destroyed. The fire was first discovered by one of the daughters of Mr. Stark, who observed the flames coming through the fioorine of her bedroom. It is not known for certain which room it originated from — so rapid were the flames that no time, as above stated, was allowed for anything bnt to escape with their lives. Amongst the things destroyed were a considerable sum of money, and other valuable articles, belonging to Mr. Skeene, who was residing there. The following gen demen were conspicuous in rendering assistance :— Messrs. Davies, Brimner, Codlin, Couch, Gillman, Simpkins. Captain 0 Connell, with a few others. We mention this as there were several who prefered lounging with their c hands in their pockets, which speaks badly for men in a.n emergency like the above catastrophe."