FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6567, 4 December 1882, Page 3 (Supplement)

FIRES.

«, A hue occurred at Otenerua, near Waiwora, on Monday morning, 30th October, at 1 o'clock, which resulted in tlie total destruction of a nino roomed house, occupied by Mr. A. J. HatfieUJ, known as the Temperance Hotel, and is owned by Mr. J. R. Hatfield, HatfieU's Bay. The house and furniture are insured in the Imperial Insurance Company for over £'iOO. On November 10, near 12 p.m., the dwelling-hous<! of Mr. James C. Cairns, farmer, of Mangere, was burnt down. Mrs. Cairns and the children were got out safely, and received shelter at a neighbour's house, that of Mr. Knight. The fire is believed to have been accidental in its origin. An alarm of (ire was given out by some of the firebells on the '23rd November. It seems that tho roof of a house in Cook-street, near Cousin and Atkins' old factory, occupied by Mi , . S. Martin, had in some way caught fire, probably from a spark from an adjacent chimney, but a few buckets of water soon put an end to all danger, though not before about a square of the shingles on the roof had been burnt. A very serious fire occurred at Onehuuga at three a.m. on Nov. 30, destroying a large amount of valuable property. The lire commenced in a building owned by Mr. Codlin, containing a small quantity of hay and straw, but no person had been in this building during the previous day. A twostorey dwelling and bilker's shop, a good building next caught, owned and occupied by Messrs. Kelsall. The next building, owned and occupied by Mrs. Bradley (also a good two-storied house), another similar building belonging to Mrs. Spaulding, a cottage, also belonging to Kelsall and a nice house belonging to Mrs. George were all destroyed. The "following arc the details of the insurances:— NEW ZEALAND INSUKANCE COMPANY. Codlin's liny store £75 Kolsall's dwelling-house, shop, and bikery (as well as furniture and ftoek) 7bO KelsiiU'a coitagu 150 liriidley's shop 250 JSrad ey'e stock 160 Spalding's house 400 Total £1005 COLONIAL INSURANCE COMPANY. Mrs. Gcorgu's front cottage £200 Mrs. George's furniture 4© Total £250 The Colonial had also £150 on the back cottage, partly damaged, and £400 on Mrs. George's hotel. The insurance on Mrs. Georee's cottage, burned down, was only renewed on November 30. On the morning of Nov. 20 the house of the Rev. Mr. Smith, Pollok, and the church adjoining it, were destroyed by fire. The fire originated in a defective chimney, amd so

rapidly did the flames spread over the roof and through the interior of the building that but very few articles could be saved. Furniture, pictures, valuable books, manuscripts, 4c, the results of forty years' stndy, and other documents, were completely consumed. Mr. Smith regrets most the loss of his manuscripts. The building and its contents were uninsured. — [A Correspondent November 22J.