EXTRA EDITION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 128, 1 June 1914, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION.

SERIOUS FIRE AT WAKAPUAKA I CABLE STATION DESTROYED ( STAFF'S STRENUOUS FIGHT. (»r TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) NELSON, This Day. The cable station at Wakapuaka, was burned to the ground at 3 o'clock this morning. The fire, when discovered, had a good hold, and it was soon seen it would be impossible to save the office. Attention was then turned to the " Bungalow," one of two buildings used by the staff as quarters. This building was only nine or ten feet from the office and soon caught and was also totally destroyed. The staff, by splendid work with meagre appliances, managed to save one building used as quarters. The paint j on this building was badly scorched and blistered, and there was an anxious time until its safety was assured. j The loss is very heavy, as only part ! of one cable instrument (there were three) was saved. Another big item was the destruction of some hundreds of miles of. artificial line. It is hoped to restore communication with Sydney Und Wellington or Nelson to-day, as there is a spare set of instru- j ments kept in a place on the beach. Hie cause ot the outbreak is a com-plete-mystery. The staff did great work..: The quarters building destroyed v;as oc- ; cupied by six of the staff, the others occupying the large building. '! The cable buildings destroyed were, the property of the Government. The company's instruments were valued at between £2000 and £3000. They were well insured. •• •• ■ •' Communication with Sydney from the , shore office has practically been established. The • Telegraph Department is arranging for communication between. Nelson and Wellington. ADVICE TO THE POST OFFICE The first intimation to the Post Office was a telegram from the postmaster at iNelson stating that the Wakapuaka office had been destroyed and nothing was 6aved. At 9.10 he advised 'that the telegraph engineer with his staff and full equipment of gear had left for Cable JJay by motor-car. ' The Superintendent for the Eastern Extension Cable Company telegraphed: — "I regret to report that the new and old offices we're completely destroyed by fire. Nothing was saved. I have asked the Chief Postmaster to supply twe Morse sets, and apparatus and to repair land lines,. The fire was discovered at 3 o'clock in the morning, an hour after the office closed. The origin is ' not yet known. I will advise you of further progress. Am now endeavouring to instal apparatus at cable house." The cable nouso is situated on the beach. "All Eastern traffic for the Commonwealth is going via. Pacific and international via Pacific and Eastern," announced the Telegraph Office this morning. The Eastern Extension Telegraph Company has two cables across tho Tasman Sea. Tho first was laid in 1876 and the other in more recent years. The latter is described by experts as one of .the finest in the world. Attached to every long-distance cable nowadays is what is known as an artificial land line, consisting of a coil of wire a great many miles in length, into which the current passes when it reaches the shore. The damage by the fire has naturally resuited in a great increase of work on tho Pacific Cable Board's lines between NeAV Zealand and Australia.