FIRE AT TE AWAMUTU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5636, 9 December 1879, Page 5

FIRE AT TE AWAMUTU.

Ox the night of Tu-sday, the 2nd instant, about 11 p.m., a lire bioke out in an attic jver the furniture shop of Mr. C. T. Ki kett, Mbinetmaker arid upholsterer, Te Awanmti. Luckily, a settler, Mr. ilohkn, was panning it the time when the flames burst through the shingle 1 roof, and hts cries of "fire" w-ie jromptly answered by the appcarauce of Nonstable Gillies and a blacksmith named Wilson upon the scene. The constable, with jrrat pres.nce of mind, first ran t) get out ;he apprentice, William Crawshaw, wtio was iuownto sleep in the bunting portion of the juilding. Ho found the boy stupitied and jQconscious of danger, bis bed being surroundtd by burning mat-rials. o*ii.g :o the constable's experience in the.-e natters, and to a plentiful s:ipply of vater at hand, the lire waa 8> on extinguished, the damage to property biing rery trilling. There is no doubt that the hoy, Jrawshaw, hada narrow escape from -a terrible leath, aa from his unconscious condition, .nd the fury with which the tiro was spreadng, it would have been impossible to enter he attic a few minutes later to re-cue him. t seems that the. (ire originated through the arelessness of the bay Inm-elf. He had ;one to sleep, leaving his can Me burning, uspended by a string from the ceiling, and he candle falling upon same of wool on he floor, close to the bed, ignited them. Jr. itiekct's establishment is in elo.-o iroximi'y to the dwelling-house and store f Mr. Teesdale ; also to the dwelling-house nd smithy of Mr. Wilson ; and if the ,ad not been discovered before it had gained i hold upon the inflammable materials in the urniturc shop, it would have been imposible to stay its progress or prevent the of the adjoining buildings,which, believe, were not insured, nor was the louse or furniture of Mr. Uicket. We are ustly proud of our useful, ac'ive, and inteligent constable. This is the second occasion in which lib has rendered invaluable services tare at a lire. He seems to be übiquit ms, .nd always in the right place at the right Qomcnt.—[' Jccasional Correspondent.]