FIRE AT RITNANGA

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1937, Page 5

FIRE AT RITNANGA

MINERS' HALL DESTROYED INCENDIARISM SUSPECTED (By Telegraph—Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, January 3. A landmark in Runanga, the Miners' Hall, was destroyed by fire at about 2.15 o'clock this morning, together with the adjacent union office, also a dwelling owned by Frederick Heslin and occupied by Alec McDonald. The damage is estimated at nearly £10,000. It is suspected that the fire was caused by incendiarism. The hall belonged to the State Miners' Union and was used as a picture theatre. It was locked securely before 11.30 p.m. on Saturday. Later, Mr. James Gillaly, the caretaker, found a candle burning near the ticket box at the entrance, also a piece of rag saturated with kerosene and a partlyfilled tin of kerosene. Mr. Gillaly called the attention of the union secretary, Mr. William Pendlebury, also Mr. W. Coles, and removed the kerosene tin to the back of the hall, from where apparently it came. The fire was discovered in the union office detached from the hall. A strong breeze took the fire to the hall and the residence, and the only thing it w.3s possible for the bucket brigade to do was to prevent the fire reaching other buildings in the direction of Mill Street, the direction of the wind protecting structures on the northern side of the hall, only one of which was damaged. This was a new shop belonging to the union and occupied by Thomas Coles, fruiterer. The hall was notable for its association with many notable events in the West Coast Labour movement. It w9s 100 feet long and 60 feet wide, and was built in 1908. It was insured for £2500, and there was a further insurance of £2850 on the union's talkie plant, which was demolished. The only thing saved was one box of films.