LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20139, 2 April 1929, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A- Press Association telegram from A boarding house of about twenty, rooms, known as the Mount, and occupied by Alfred Ahlquist, was totally destroyed by fire at Whangarei yesterday afternoon. Twenty boarders lost all their belongings. IF appears that the fire was first observed by Constable Norris, who rushed across to the house and found the housemaid (May Pierce), and together they tried to put out the fire, hut their efforts were unavailing. Owing to the holidays several of the Fire Brigade were absent from the town. The insurances on the house totalled £2,000 and on the furniture £3OO. The location of the fire was found to bo the kitchen chimney. It is reported that three men whoso names are not definitely known, but who are thought to bo Cameron, of Stokes Valley, and Fraser and Farley, whose addresses are not known, are missing in the bush at the back of Paraparaumu. The men were three of a party of five pig-hunters who left i heir companions to descend into a little-frequented valley to follow their dogs after pigs. They have not yet returned. It is understood that tho other two men of the party returned to Paekakariki and reported the disappearance of their companions to the postmaster there, who then got into communication with tho police in Wellington. Tho Ofcnki and Johnsouvillo police are proceeding- to the scone, and it is understood that a party also proposes to take part in the search. Fire at 5.30 last evening practically gutted the premises of Mr J. H. Greenwood, bookseller and stationer, and agent for Tho Bristol Piano Company at Westport. The fire started in a storeroom, at the back of the shop, and quickly spread to the main building, through which it rapidly swept, destroying a large .stock of hooks, gramophone records, pianos, and stationery goods. The fire obtained a bold on the-premises next door belonging to Mrs M'Grath, a general drapery .establishment, but this outbreak was quickly suppressed. The brigade made a good save, pieventing an extension of the fire to the premises of Mr AV. G. Carr, draper, but Mr Greenwood’s goods were badly damaged by water.