THE CHRISTCHURCH FIRE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 10 February 1908, Page 2

THE CHRISTCHURCH FIRE.

[United Peess Association^ FINAL LIST OF INSURANCES. SYMPATY FROM THE PREMIER. CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday. The ruins of the big fire are still smoking, and occasional flames make their appearance in spite of the enormous quantity of water that has been pumped in by the fire brigades. The debris inside the scorched and shattered walls of the D.l.C.'s building seems to contain still a. good deal of inflammable matter, as several small fires could be seen this morning. Probably it will be at least a week before it will be possible to start the work of clearing away the ashes. Some of the walls at present standing are obviously in an unsafe condition, and they will have to be pulled down as soon as possible. The White Hart Hotel frontage is fairly safe, but the front wall of Ashby, Bergh and Co.'s building, and the adjoining premises, pieces have fallen. The D.l.C.'s walls in both Cashel-street and "tachfieldstreet have been partially demolished, and the wall of Warden's factory, facing the right-of way, has been pulled down, filling the right-of-way with bricks. Negotiations for the rebuilding operations have been opened in several instances, but it will be some time before any definite plans are prepared. There is no doubt, however, that ultimately the appearance of the city will be improved, as a result of the fire. The land covered by the fire has increased enormously in value during recent years, and owners will take the opportunity to secure the maximum return from the land available. This will mean larger buildings in several cases, and, viewed from this standpoint, the fire would have rendered a service to Christchurch had it taken the group of small wooden buildings further west fn the block. Workmen commenced to demolish the front wall of Ashby, Bergh's burned out this afternoon, and the proceedings afforded much interest to a crowd of spectators. The falling brickwork badly bent the two new metallic circuit cables which had just been repaired by the Telephone Department, and severed from 15 to 20 single telephone wires, causing them to sag almost to the ground for some distance along -the street. It ia proposed to pull the rest of the wall down. Subjoined is a corrected list of the insurances : — Royal, £29,800; National, £4200; Victoria, £8950 (re-insured £2000,; Liverpool and London and Globe, (£10,500 (re-insured £1000) ; Queensland, £3500; Standard, £4800; The Sun, £16,275; Northern, £9000; London and Lancashire, £10,000 ; Australian Alliance, £3000; Royal Exchange, £12,550; Norwich Union, £7449; Atlas, £5100: New Zealand, £18,470; South British, £6995; Alliance, £21,5000; Guardian, £5500; Commercial Union, £6000; North British, £7000; The State, £4700; United, £2300; Yorkshire, £13,250; Phoenix, £750. Grand total, £221,289. The Premier sent the following message of condolence to the Mayor: — "I h<wd with the deepest regret of the disastrous firo .that has toccurred in fous city, and by which a large number of your fellow-citizens have suffered a severe financial loss, in addition to which the throwing out of work of large number of employees is a most serious matter, and I tender my earnest sympathy both to the employers and the employees. I feel sure, however, that those concerned will, with the characteristic pluck and energy of our peoole, make the best of a bad job, and quickly overcome the difficulties brought about by the great disaster.^l. G. Ward. '