FIRE ON THE PAKEHA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 20 January 1925, Page 9

FIRE ON THE PAKEHA.

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR

(by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Jan ; 19. Mystery surrounds the origin, of the smouldering fire which was discovered in. No. 1 lower hold of the Shaft - Savill steamer Pakeha at Tokomaru Bay on Friday night. The vessel, which was lying in the roadstead, had been loading wool and pe|.ts from a lighter far some da vs. The hold affected was fairly fully laden with carcases of frozen, mutton, and the cloth covering in some manner became ignited. While the fumes were not dense, the burning of the rag and carcases seems to have generated some form of gas, and several. men engaged in the work of removing the upper tiers were overcome by it. Assistance was readily forthcoming, and they were speedily" brought to.

After some carcases had been taken out the hatches were sealed down. The fire was thus confined to the particular quarter in which it had started. The fire was discovered at- 8.30 p.m. The stevedores went ashore at 11.30, when the vessel took her departure for Wellington. When she. arrived here there was no indications that anything was amiss. The vessel, so far as can be ascertained, .has suffered no structural damage, but about 200 carcases of mutton have been spoiled.