DAMAGE BY EIRE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 72, 28 March 1910, Page 8

DAMAGE BY EIRE.

BUSINESS PLACES IN CHRISTCHURCH. HEAVY LOSS. [liT TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A 6eriout« fire occuired after midnight in a row of t-hops in Manchenter-gtreet. The top floor throughout tho building was occupied by Bunting and Co., brushniakers. Five shops on the lower floor were occupied by Dollan (bootmaker), Holland (hairdresser), Macphail and Fisher (leather merchant*), and two tearooms. Bunting also had a building at the back of the chops. When the alaim i was given this building and portion of the front building were ablaze. The fire brigade consequently had the utmost difficulty in dealing with the outbreak, and tho flames spread rapidly to both floors. The new high-pressure water supply gave a plentiful provision, but the con- | tents of the shops and factory were highly inflammable, and it was after two : o'clock when the fire wns in hand. The ] Trocadero Private Hot«l at one time was threatened, and the Scott-Morgan Motor Works were also in danger. Bunting owned the building and factory, which were valued at £4500. The stock was valued at £7000. Particulars of the insurance are not available. Bunting says no one hnd been in his factory since Thursday, and he is unable to account for the fire. An outbreak occurred in the same block at Easter, 1907. BUSH CONFLAGRATION. SEVERAL BUILDINGS DESTROYED DUNEDIN, 27th March. A bu»h fire on Saturday afternoon caused considerable damage at Kaka Point, a holiday resort Detween the Nuggets nnd Port Molyneux. A high wind^ nwept the fire through the bu*n, and destroyed houses belonging to Dr. Fitzgerald (Kaitangata), F. Helps (Dunedin), and Algie Rro*. (Balclutha). A twelve-roomed house and *tore belonging to P. and J. Smith caught fire two or three times, and was only *aved by gallant efforts of willing helper*. The stables, however, were destroyed. According to the latest reports th* wind changed suddenly, thereby averting further serious damage. The fire is supposed to have originated in a moss bank in the bush behind Kaka Point. The gale caused it to spread so rapidly that very little could be dono to check its progress through the bush, where several holiday cottages were situated. The amount of damage has not yet been ascertained. LOSS OF SOAP WORKS. WANGANUI, 26th March. A fire brokegout in Gilberd'ts soap woiks, Cnstlecliff, on Saturday night. The Wanganui Fire Brigade pent its •team fire engine, but by the time the engine arrived the works had practically disappeared. Scott and Sons fcllmongery. a two-ntoricd wooden building alongside the soap works, had a marvellous etc ape, its safety being due to tho efforts of a bucket brigade. The origin of the fire is v mystery. The insurances on the soap work* are —£1000 in the South Biitish, £600 in the Ocean, and £500 iv the Queensland. Scott and Sons had a floating policy on the stock in tho New Zealand and Biitish Dominion offices. HOUSE BURNT DOWN. DUNEDIN, 27th March. A house owned by David Adam, and occupied by Joseph Golightly, was burnt down at Green Island Bush on Saturday. The occupant and his wife left at noon for Dunedin, aud on their return found the house burnt down. Golightly was uninsured, but Adam's iiihurance is unknown: