FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9610, 7 September 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

FIRES.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT STRATFORD. Stratford, September 5. A great fire occurred in Broadway, at one o'clock, when Curtis' 9tore and the buildings in which were situated the premises occupied by Payne (watchmaker), Ralph (draper), and Gardiner (hairdresser) were destroyed. The fire occurred in some part of the building; occupied by Gardiner, and was discovered by two of Curtis' employees, who were sleeping on the promises. All efforts to stop the fire were unavailing, and ib soon spread southward to the ehop3 of Smith (grocer), Man Keo (fruiterer), Ellis (chemist), the County Council building, and the office of Mr. Malone (solicitor), Hannah (bootmaker), and Taylor (grocer). All of these were swept clean away. Wilson's Hotel was saved with great difficulty; so also was the Bank of New Zealand to .the north of Curtis's.

The insurances are—Standard Insurance Company : £750 on Mr. Curtis's building and stock; £400 on the next building, also belonging to Mr. Curtis; £100 on Mr. Gardiner's stock. Northern Insurance Company : £750 on Mr. Curtis's building and stock. National Insurance Company : £20Q on Mr. Taylor's. South British Insurance Company : £50 on Mr. Malone's; £250 on Man Kee's stock, Now Zealand Insurance Company : £750 on Mr. Hannah's building and stock ; £620 on the Bank of New Zealana and contents. Had thore been any wind the whole of Broadway must have gone. Mr. Curtis loses about £2000 above the insurance. The total damage must be £8000 at least.

About eleven p.m. on Sept. 2 the Pittstreet firebell rang out an alarm of fire. The fire proved to be in a drapery shop on the corner of East-street and Karangahape Road, Newton, carried on by Mrs. Bennett, wife of Mr. Isaac Bennett. The firemen confined the fire pretty well to the ground floor of the drapery shop* but owing to the inflammable character of the goods the contents of the chop wore totally destroyed. The shop fronts of the two adjoining places of business were also injured, namely, Mr. Wendel'a wine shop, (over which on the first floor is the dentistry of Mr. Young Warren, jun.) where the shop front was destroyed. The block of the three two-storied shops is owned by Mr. Young Warren, jun. It is estimated ib will take about £300 to repair the damage and re-instate. Mrs. Bennett's stock is insured in the Liverpool, London, and Globe for £400, and the furniture for £100 in the same company. The stock is a total loss, but the furniture is little damaged. Mrs. Bennett estimates the stock at £650, so she will be a loser over insurance of £250. Mr. Wendel was insured for £100 in the Imperial. On August 17 the residence of Mr. Thomas Macready, Epsom, an eight-roomed wooden building, was burned down. The house belonged to the estate of the late Mr. W. Potter, and was insured by the trustees in the South British for £130, and Mr. Macready had the furniture insured for £250 in the same office, bub his loss will be over £200 in addition to £24 in cash.

The Royal Oak Hotel at Alafcawhero was burned down early on August 27. There is an insurance of £450 on the hotel and stables in tho Liverpool, London, and Globe, and £350 on tho stock.and furniture in the Commercial Union. ' The large stables and outbuildings adjoining the residence of Mr. D. L. Murdoch, of Mount St. John, Epsom, were destroyed by fire on August 22. Mr. Murdoch will be a severe loser. The building was a fine one, in fact, one of the iinost stables around Auckland. He estimates his loss at over £800, the building being valued at £500. The building was insured in the New Zealand office for £350. Chapman Bros.' boot factory at Johnsonville was burned on August 31. It was insured for £1260 in the Royal. 1

I A fire broke out at Messrs. R. and W. I Hellaby's] boiling-down works, Richmond, I at an early hour on Sept. 1 in the main build- | ing, about the centre. ' . The fire was confined i to the large building in which ib broke out, | consisting of tallow and bone departments Ib appears that the only insurance on the building, stock, and plant is £2500 in the , North German Office, while Messrs. Hellaby estimate tho value of the property destroyed at £3444, so that they are considerable losers by the fire. , A number of hands will also bo thrown out of employment in the busy season till fresh buildings can bo erected and new machinery obtained. There was a large quantity of tallow, 100 tons of bones, and other manures destroyed. In the buildings, which cost £1300, were two digesters and other machinery. Ib is supposed that the fire was occasioned by a spark from the engine, as there were two bone mills going till midnight. Messrs, Hellaby Brothers are of opiuion the fire was purely accidental. A fire occurred on Sept. 3 in Courtenay Placc, Wellington. The shop and dwellinghouse of Mr. J. Griffiths, pawnbroker, were completely destroyed, and an adjoining house occupied by Mrs. Speed was partly burned. Mr. Griffiths' was uninsured. He estimates his loss at £800. Mrs. Speed's loss is £200. The insurances on the buildings were £800 in the North German, New Zealand, and Commercial Union.