Railway House at Drury Burned.

Franklin Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 139, 3 December 1934, Page 5

Railway House at Drury Burned.

TELEPHONE LINES AFFECTED. LITTLE DELAY OCCASIONED. Shortly after noon on Friday the residence ol' the Drury stationmaster, Mr T. C. Gleverley, was destroyed by fire. Several telephone circuits and one telegraph circuit were burned, but no great delay was occasioned, alternative circuits being provided by a gang of repairmen from Papakura* under Mr S. Smith. Temporary repairs to the burned lines were completed shortly before four o’clock. The lines affected included four circuits to Pukekohe, among which was a telegraph line, and four tp Hamilton. Telephonic communication between Auckland and Tuakau. and Auckland and Waiuku was also affected. The residence contained six rooms and was owned by the Railway Department. It was erected some years ago and was being repained. Mr Gleverley, his wife and two children were having lunch in the kitchen when the fire was first noticed. The front rooms were enveloped in flames. Efforts were made to extinguish the fire by means of buckets of water, and iron was removed from the roof but it was of no avail. Members of the staff at the station assisted to remove some of the furniture.

The house was insured in the State office, but it is not known whether the contents were covered.