FIRE AT WINTON.

Evening Star, Issue 11662, 24 September 1901, Page 4

FIRE AT WINTON.

£IO,OOO DAMAGE. A message was received in town this morning stating that the township of Winton was almost entirely burnt out at 1 a.m.' The firo started in a building next to the Bank of New Zealand, and swept away the south side of the town as far as the corner where M'Williams's store was. Thence it crossed the road to PerryV Winton Hotel, destroying it and the adjoining stables, and extending farther southwards as far as the public hall. The fact that the Bank of New Zealand was of brick probably saved the block to the northwards. The New Zealand Insurance Company are the main holders of the risks, and their loss amounts to £1,024. Had the fire devastated the block to the north of the bank, thev would have sustained an additional loss of about £1,200. TheTc are other companies interested, but their loss is small compared with that of tie New Zealand Company's. The South British aw interested in Perry's Hotel to the extend of £166. and the National in M'Wifliams's store to the amount of £l5O. INVERCAPaiLL, September 24. At one o'clock this morning a fire broke out in E. R. Kidd's store, Main street, Wiaton, destroying eight buildings, compnsmg the business block—namelv, Kidd's store, M'WUliams Bros.' store," Perry's Hotel and stables, J. W. Kennedy's (tobacconist), W. J. Lyon's (fancy goods), the National Mortgage Company's storo and office, Moore's Hall and butcher's shop and bakery, F. A. Cole's (saddler), W. Cameron's (photographer), and J. F. Vernon's (fishmonger), .lie lass exceeds £IO,OOO. The insurances, so far as have been ascertained, are as follow:—Kidd's: Building, £405 in the Commercial Union ; stock, £350 in the Royal Exchange and £l5O in the Commercial . M'Williams Bros.': Store £BOO, and stock £BSO, both in the New Zealand Office. Perrvs : Hotel £950, and stables £l5O, both in the New Zealand. Moore's building, £l5O ; Cole's, £6O : Cameron's, £SO ; Kennedy's, £2s—all in the New Zealand. Winton is a town with a population of about 400 people It is situated on the Oreti. or New River, in the centre of a rich fanning district, nineteen miles north from Inverciirgill. on the Kingston line of railway. Flourmills, saw-mills, pottery works, agricultural implement works, and meat preserving are the principal industries. There are three hotels/a weekly newspaper, and n branch of the Bank of New Zealand, post, telegraph, money order, savings bank, and Government offices.