HOKITIKA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 1 September 1917, Page 6

HOKITIKA NOTES

(From Our Special Correspondent) HOKITIKA, August 31. An alarm of fire was given at 6 o'clock yesterday morning, the scene of the outbreak being Warren's Central Hotel. The brigade was promptly on the scene and soon extinguished the outbreak, with little damage. The fire broke out in , the bar alongside the gas meter, which had been leaking for some time past. Mr. Warren had been searching for the leak the previous evening, and i,t is supposed that the light somehow ignited the small escape of gas, which burned all night and finally melted the lead pipe, allowing the flam, to reach the wall. Mr. Hart, the night watchman, was j just about to come off duty when he noticed the flame. His promptness in giving the alarm probably saved what could easily have been a big fire. Mr. H. M. Coulson, Deputy-Mayor, has received a telegram from the Minister of Finance stating that the Government ist making arrangements to allow local bodies to borrow money to invest in the ' ' Liberty Loan. Amongst those reported as wounded in late casualty lists appear the names of the following men of this district: Privates H. Hende, C. Peebles, E. Downey, and L. Martin. I - Considerable dissatisfaction is being expressed at the manner in which the borough bylaws are being enforced. It is stated that after prosecuting two persons for breach of the by-laws in regard to the storage of benzine, the Borough Inspector has received instructions in another case not to prosecute pending discussion at the next council meeting. Probably councillors are not aware that' it is open to any person to lay an information under the by-laws, and interesting developments are • expected when the Bord_gh Inspector gives evidence in* the case coming before the Court at the next sitting..