CHEVIOT FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 126, 30 May 1928, Page 10

CHEVIOT FIRE

TOWN SUFFERS HEAVILY (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") CHKISTCHUKCH, This Day. Tive shops ami a picture theatre were burnt to" the ground as the result of the lire which occurred at Cheviot. This leaves only three shops in the town. ' Tlie premises destroyed were:— Mr. ,G. Styuthcrs's storeroom; Mr. L. 11. Prud.cn's picture theatre; the New Zealand Farmers' Co-op. Agency; Mr. J. 0. Glasson's billiard-rooni and fruit shop; Mr. W. Cr. Cone's butchery'; Mr. T. S. West's bootshop. The premises were right in the heart of the township. The. fire .started at about 2.10 a.m. on ,Monday, and in the absence of any fire-fighting equipment burned so fiercely that in a little, more than half-an-hour the buildings involved were reduced to ruins. All the promises destroyed were of single-story construction, in wood, and comprised one block, extending along the principal thoroughfare. A right-of-way at each end of the block prevented the fire from spreading further. The (ire was discovered at the rear of the billiard saloon, and not many (lersons had assembled before the rear of the saloon and of the picture theatre crashed in under the weight of the iron roofs: The firo spread rapidly to the front of the block. For miles around the countryside was'lit up. The stock and fittings of the picture theatre were insured for £100 in the Royal Office, and there was a policy of £150 on the pianola. The dynamo, which was in a separate building, was saved. Glasson had. his stock insured for £330 in the 1.0.A. Office, and the two billiaTd tables were insured. Struthcrs owned the store, including the office used by the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, the picture theatre, nn.d Glasson's. Stmtliers had a policy of N £2ooo on the stock in tin: burned store and a store •across the road. About £400 worth, of stock was destroyed. He had insurances totalling £1450 on the buildings. West's shop was owned by Mrs. Gladys Hayes, and thr. stock was insured. There are nu'w only three shops left :in Cheviot.