FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10084, 20 March 1896, Page 1 (Supplement)

FIRES.

A fire occurred in Onehunga early on March 12, whereby a shop and dwelling o\tied by Mr. Morton, storekeeper, and a six-roomed house owned by Mr. Peter Mo Kenzie wore totally destroyed, Considerable damage was also caused to the Prince Arthur Hotel. Mr. McKenzie's house was insured for £210 in the North German, and his furniture for £lfso in the North British. The Manchester had a risk of £400 on Mr. Morton's building, and' the stock was insured for £800 in the North German.

An eight-roomed unoccupied two-storey house, on Cambridge Terrace, Wellington, owned by T. C. McCarthy, was destroyed by fire on Thursday night, February 27. It was insured for £400 in the National. The adjoining house, owned and ocupied by E. C. Hall, was damaged to the extent of £120, covered by insurance in tbo Commorcial Union.

The Hawko's Bay Timber Company's sawmill at Tahoraite, with mill manager's houso and employees' dwellings, was destroyed by fire on Feb. 29. The conflagration was caused by spreading of bush fires. The insurances : — Plant, £500 ; stock, £100, in the Norwich Union. There are other insurance?, but particulars are not known, The company is a heavy loser.

The Turanganui Hotel, Gisbornc, owned by Mrs. De Costa, and occupied by Sheen, lias been destroyed by fire, together with Da Costa's Hall. The insurances are:— Phoenix, £500, Manchester, £500 (£250 re-insured with tho London and Lancashire) on the hotel; Standard £500, and Norwich Union £200 on stock and furniture; Manchester £150 on the public hall.

Tho premises of Mr. H. J. Rodgers, draper, Wellington, were badly damaged by fire on Fob. 28, which broko out in the upper storey of the building. Tho damage to the drapery stock is assessed at £480. The building was owned by Winder, and insured in the Commercial Union for £600, and the furniture for £200 in the samo office. The stock was insured for £300 each in the Commercial Union, South British, Royal, Exchange, and Phoenix. Mossrs. Palmer and Company's timber mills at Manaia haro been completly detroyed by fire. Tho loss is about £800, totally uncovered by insurance. A tiro broke out early on March 4 at Pahiatuain the Temperance Hotel, occupied by Mrs. Benzie, and owned by Mrs. Russoll, of Palmerston North, which also destroyed two shops, occupied by Mr. S. Webb, tailor, and Mr. Rowley, hair-dresser, both of whose stocks were also destroyed. They were uninsured. Three other shops belonging to Mr. T. C. Williams, and occupied by Mr. F. Granger, land agent; Mr. J. Smith, painter ; and Mr. W. S. Falconor, cabinet-maker, were also burned. Tho fire originated in the dining-room, bub the cause is unknown. The insurances are: Benzio's furniture, £300, London and Liverpool ; Smith, £100, National ; Falconer, £100, South British; Webb, Rowley, and Grainger were uninsured. Mrs. Russell's property was insured for £300 in the London and Liverpool, and for £400 in the North British. The shops owned by Williams were insured for £200 in the London aud Liverpool. Only by tho exertions of the brigade were the Commercial Hotel and the theatre saved. A high wind was blowing at the time. Since January 4th there have been 31 outbreaks of fire in Wellington city, for; tunately none of a very serious nature, and it is estimated the loss is about £7000. Handley's bone mills, at Carterton, were burnt down on March 14th. They are I insured in tho New Zealand office for £350.