THREE IN QUEEN STREET

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 65, 14 September 1925, Page 3

THREE IN QUEEN STREET

CHESS CLUB'S. ROOM' AND EQUIP-

MENT DAMAGED.

(IT mKMAFM. —rSISS ASSOCIATION.)

AUCKLAND, 13th September.

Severar fires in Queen street yesterday afternoon, good; wor* by the fire brigade minimising'the damage'oil each occasion; , The first fire was in the Commercial Bank's, stone building, the outbreak originating in the retiring room at. the; end. of the-passage on , the sec'-. ond floor. The caretaker. Had been engaged . cleaning>the-''bank, office on . the first' floor, and -was".attracted; by.: 1 the smell of smoke: Four room's at the seat of .'the outbreak were badly damaged j, the retiring. room being ■ gutted, wliile the adjoining office of Mr. - Ruddock] sharebroker,: was damaged by fire... and water. 'The third • floor • offices were', en dangered, but- the" bfigadci obtained con trol in,time.>

The next outbreak ■war' a couple of hours later in wooden premises right'opposite the Commercial: Bank. iTHe fire started in a passage,outside; the offices' of Bennett arid Jacobsen, solicitors; on the first* floor. The rooms adjoining ithe paasage were damaged. by,, : fife and water, and somegoods'in Hugh' 'Wright's establishment, on the ground floor; were damaged by water. .The brigade^ made a brilliant save, but ,had the fire .got beyond 'control, the; other wooden buildings..on both,aides would probably have been destroyed.;.,.' V; , "':■ ■ A more Jeriqus fire: occurred in : ".-.HiB Majesty's Arcade, Qiieeri street,,at halfpast twelve' this. Morning; \ It'is .uhderBtood to have originated, near ihe lavatories adjoining -the Chess Club's. rooms on the top floor; The".,: Chess; Club's rooms "were; completely destroyed- with their together with . the rooms 'X occupied ■; by ; Captainr Cliffe (teacher of 'navigatiion)V^and Davis ■ arid Eogers,; engrayersi; •About": £1000; ; wofth of admajije wa3 done by water-to the Masonic Institute 1 and tilub/ which" occupies 'the two low!er".'floors.,' !':..■ ,'.•-'■"■[ ".■ ■-