£25,000 FIRE DAMAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20526, 9 April 1941, Page 11

£25,000 FIRE DAMAGE

CARS AND PLANT LOST NEWTON KING LTD. BIG HAWERA BLAZE (Per Press Association.) HAWERA, this day. Damage conservatively estimaeed at £25,000 was caused when a fire at 5 o'clock this morning gutted the Hawera branch of the motor and machinery departments of Newton King, Limited. The complete destruction of the whole block of buildings, which fronts two streets, was obviated by the splendid work of the brigade and by a dividing wall which acted as a fire break.

Much damage was caused to the adjoining offices, showrooms and slock rooms, although tile office plant and records were salvaged intact. Smoke and water damaged premises in Union street occupied by Osmono and Sons, cattle remedies, the showrooms and ear storage department of I-I. 11. Mollcr (Hawera), Limited, and the offices of flic Egmont Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

In addition to the heavy loss suffered by Newton King, Limited, a number of clients lost their ears which were slored for the night. The losers include the Railways Department, which had a £I2OO road service bus in the premises, arid Park’s White Star Service, a £ISOO parlour coach.

Part of the roof hacl collapsed and the names were roaring skywards when the brigade received the alarm, and the conflagration was the largest and most: destructive experienced in Hawera in the past decade.

Among tlie salvaged stock were new cars man-handled from the building on to the footpath through a collapsed showroom window.