DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT HIKUTAIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5996, 4 February 1881, Page 6

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT HIKUTAIA.

On the morning of Saturday last, the 29th ultimo, the store of Mr. John Sainsbury, at Hikutaia, was burned to the ground. This store is one of three owned by Mr. Sainsbury, and is in charge of Mr. Arthur Lyndhurst. It appears that on Friday evening Mrs. J. Me Williams, a Maori woman, came to the store and told Mr. Lyndhurst that some Maoris, about ten miles distant, had a quantity of gum which they wanted to sell, and asked him to send some of the men with the pack horses early on tli,e following morning for it, as the Maoris wanted money for some prospective purchases. The building occupied by this store is the one erected by Captain Butt a few years ago as an hotel when the excitement existed about the gold discoveries at Hikutaia. As none of the "packers" were at the time available, or would have returned to the store by the time they would have to start in the morning, Mr. Lyndhurst stated that he would take the pack-horses himself if Mrs. McWilliams and her husband, very respectable people, would come to the store shortly after S o'clock on Saturday morning and be present in the event of any customers coming. To carry out this arrangement the kitchen door was to be left unfastened when Mr. Lyndhurst left, though the store and other portions of the premises would be fastened up. This was agreed upon, and between 4 and 5 o'clock Mr. Lyndhurst left with ten packhorses. About half-past 8 o'clock Mr. and Mrs. McWilliams came and took their position in the kitchen. The store was a wellfilled one, and in one end of it was stacked up about thirteen tons of kauri gum. Adjoining this end of the store was the stable, and between the contents of the store and the stable was only the weather boarding of the main building. About 10 o'clock a number of Maoi-is, men and women, came past the store from the Miranda district to join in a tangi to be held at some distance over some dead child. They came into the kitchen, and spoke a very few minutes to Mrs. McWiDiams, and then went away. They had gone but a very short time when Mr. McWilliams heard a sound as of something burning, and shortly afterwards they saw smoke issuing from where the gum was stored, adjoining the stable. An examination was made, and it was found that the gum was on fire. Mr. Mc" Williams made an opening, and being supplied with water threw a few buckets full on the burning gum, when suddenly an explosion occurred, and in an instant flames broke forth fiercely. Mrs. McWilliams called upon the Maoris, who were only a short distance away, to return and help to save the goods in the pakeha's store, but they merely jeered in return, and refused to give any help. Had they returned, Mr. and Mrs. McWilliams are of opinion that a large quantity of the stock would have been saved; but as it was it was wholly consumed. About 11 o'clock Mr. Lyndhurst returned, but only to find the store in ashes, aud the heaps of gum silently being consumed. The contents of the store were valued at about £1300, and the building itself about £500. Upon the stock in trade Mr. Sainsbury had a policy of insurance in the South British Company of £500, and he is thus a very heavy loser. Of course it is impossible to say how the fire originated, but the opinions of those residing in the district incline to it being the work of an incendiary. It appears that several years ago a remark in the nature of the threat was made by some Maoris that the store would some day be destroyed by fire, but Mr. Sainsbury at present has no evidence of circumstances to justify him in fixing suspicion upon any individual. The loss, however, is a heavy one to him, which is aggravated by the disorganization of his trade relations.