FIRE AT LOWER HUTT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 8 October 1936, Page 6

FIRE AT LOWER HUTT

TANNERY WORKS DAMAGED FIRE BRIGADE CRITICISED (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. “While the building was burning merrily, the fire brigade tooK twentyfive minutes to get water,” said the owner of Payne’s Tanneries at Lower Hutt, which was damaged by a fire which is believed to have originated in the boiler room. The owner, Mr R. G. Buckleton, said that when he arrived at the scene he found an engine from the Lower Hutt Brigade, but nobody seemed to have any idea where the fire plugs were. Although the Hull River is only a few yards away and there is an artesian well at the factory, the fire burnt for two hours, destroying the boiler room, one of the drying rooms and a quantity of stock and plant. The owner rang the Petone Brigade. which refused to come to the fire, as it was out of its district.' He also telephoned the Lower Hutt Fire Station asking them to send down another engine. They answered that one was sufficient. The blaze was a spectacular one and the brigade’s work was hampered by heavy smoke.