[Published to-day at 9 a.m.] Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 25, 1891.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 122, 25 May 1891, Page 2

[Published to-day at 9 a.m.] Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 25, 1891.

Yet another fire occurred on Saturday night, nnil those who were called out of their houses by the clanging of the bolls shortly after 11 o'clock had no difficulty in ascertaining the locality, an angry glare showing that the Ilame3 had already secured an alarmingly strong hold of a building in the neighbourliojd of Alton street, and it soon became known that it was a shed, used as a workshop, belonging to Mr Miller, who lives in that street, and which contained, among other thingn, a quantity of paint oils and turpentine, which was quite sufficient to account for the fierceness of the fire. The members of the Fire Brigade displayed their customary praiseworthy . alacrity in arriving on the scene with thoir appliances, but several minutes elapsed before they could get to work, owing to the difficulty experienced in linding the plug in Alton street, it having been buried to a considerable depth whon the recent improvement* were mado in that street. A hose wag also laid on from the Hardy streot main throußh the Nelson Lawn Tennis Olub's ground, but thin, too, ocoupied Bora> tiino. bo fbnt ullhopoof awing hn burning building lad to be abandoned, and there was con aidorable anxiety less ilh< flUmea should nxtead to Mr Mi lai'a dwelling house, from whioii the shed waa only apuarnted by an iotervnl ot twemy yard I*.1 *. Fortunately, hn»« over, the night was penally still, and when onca the water was brought mo piny there <vhk no difficulty in extinguishing the fie, A3 to its origin we musi full baok upon tho well known phrase in thin connection — it w<»B and aiill rermina a myiery. Mr Millar, aooompanie'i by his wifo. ltft t >wn for Belftrov<> by the afternoon train, and the only oooup&ntB of the housn were the two Misses Millar, one of whom, about halffui hour earlier hnd gone onfc'to tho bncktodraw water from the tap, and at that hour there whs no sign of fire. They then went to bed, and had not long been there when they wero alarmed by a peouliar sound whioh at first seemed to them- ns though someone was trying to break into the house. A few seconds later thero was no mistaking it— it was the oraokling of burning wood, and upon getting up and looking out they found the shed a mass of flame, whioh must have blazed up very suddenly, for, as mentioned before, there was a fieroe glare at the time the alarm was first sounded. Id. the absenoe of Mr Millar, who does not. return to town until this morning, we have been unable to ascertain the exaot amount of the loss he ha» sustained, but we learn that the abed contained a large quantity of tools, some of them of an expensive oharaoter, and also a number of patterns, &c, for castings, &c, wbioh he bad prepared from time to time in the pursuit of his business as a millwright. There was nn insurance to the amount, we understand, of £90 in the Northern offloo, but this will fall fur short of tbe aofiual lO3S. Mr Millar and his family will have the sympathy of a large number of friends in their misfortune, but they may also be oougrntulated upon tho fire not extending to t.'ie dwelling house, a contingency whioh at one time appeared to be imminent. The experience of Saturday night points to the necessity of the fire plugs throughout the town being looked to, as much valuable time was hst owing to their not being easily aocssible, ADANOBwillba held in the Girls sohool' Brighlwater, this evening, An entertainment in oonneo'ion with tbe Onaroh Sunday Sohool, Riohmond, will be held on Thursday next, A public! danoa will ba held ii the Foresters' Hall ibis evening. Ladies will be admitted free. Tns installation ot W.M. and investiture of officars in the F>>rnnt Lorlge of ii'te.e and Accepted Masonß will frikw plaoe on Wndnesd»y evening, ai tbe Lcuk-e Room, WaktfWld. The s.b. Lady Barkly left Cross's wharf at half past seven this morniug on nn exourtsion trip to Motueka, Sho leaves there at 8 o'olook this evening. An Oddfollows' Sooial will be hold at tho OddfelloWB 1 Hall this evening. A tha and publio menting in oonneotion with the R obmoud Uuioq finntlay Sohool will be he d ■ his afternoon. A ruDLio tea in connection with the Wesloyan Ghuroh at Spring Gijvo wi'.l be held this evening at half ptst fiv,\ The Loyal Wakatu Juvenile Lodgo ia adjourned till to-morrowJlaveniug, ut sevon o'olook. The Backs at Motueka and Nelson will bo Closed to-day, and the Cuatoms department will algo observe the day as a oloso holiday.