KUMARA FIRE

Grey River Argus, 12 September 1944, Page 2

KUMARA FIRE

MEMORIAL HALL DESTROYED The Kumara Memorial Hall waq totally destroyed by fire early yesterday morning. The fire was first noticed at 2.40 by H. Webster, a baker boy employed at R. N. May’s bakery. It then had a firm hold in the front of the building near the entrance and the Borough Office. The fire ben was rung and members of the .Volunteer Fire Brigade were quickly on the scene. The manual engine was run out alongside the Masonic Hall, water being Dumped from the, creek which runs under the Fire Station Dy a band of willing helpers. This no doubt saved the Fire Station, which caught alight several times. Another band of workers removed the furnishings from the Fire Brigade’s social room, while other helpers took books, crockery and other articles from the Public Library at the nortn end of the building. Some of the Borough records were lost, though others were away tor audit; and two talking picture projectors, owned by Westland Talkies, who screened a bi-weekly programme at the hall, were destroyed. A fire proof safe recovered after the fire contained £3O. which was unharmed.

Firemen and other workers did a wonderful job to save other buildings nearby including the Fire Station and a new shop only, a few yards away owned by Mr. G. Pamment. It was impossible to save, the hall, which contained much inflammable material. The fire apparently began in the Borough Office but its cause is unknown. The office was last used on Friday, and pictures were screened at the hall on Saturday night. The loss of the hall, which was the largest and the only.suitable public meeting place in the district is a very serious one to the Borough ana citizens as a whole, and efforts are to be made replace it as soon as possible. It is thought that its replacements wil cost much more, however than the £5OO for which the building was insured. The hall was opened in 1921 Mr. W. J. Benyon, who was Mayor, was the first chairman, and Mr. A. B. Spiers had been chairman for 19 years...