DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10415, 13 April 1897, Page 5

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

SERIOUS LOSSES AT PAEROA AND ! KARANGAHAKE. INADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY. THEFT OF £92 IN NOTES. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Paeuoa, Monday. A destructive fire broko out in Paeroa about) three o'clock this morning, and resulted in the total destruction of a shop and dwelling occupied by Mrs. Morton, and of a shop occupied by Mr. G. Cullen, draper. The adjoining buildings narrowly escaped being burned, and there is no doubb that had there been any wind the firo would have made a clean sweep of Belmont Road. The fire originated in Mrs. Morton's kitchen where she states she left a candle burning for her husband, whom she expected to arrive that night from Karanguhake. She retired to rest, and was awakened by the falling of crockery. All the rooms were then full of smoke, and Mrs. Morton, with her little sister, who was also sleeping in the room, had barely time to escape with their lives, both having been compelled to make their exit through the window. The flames then spread with great rapidity, and though tho fire brigade (three), under the superintendence of Captain O'Hara, worked splendidly, the whole building was completely demolished. The scarcity of water was severely felt, though one stream was kept playing on the burning building, ib having been pumped by a number of willing hands from the wells of Messrs. Noedel and Crosby. However, had there been any wind stirring the whole block would have been at the morcy of the fire ; in fact as it was the private residence of Mr. W, Ellis on ono sido, and the shop and dwelling of Messrs. Griffiths Bros, (plumbers) on the other, wore severely scorched. None of Mrs. Morton's goods were saved. The goods of Mr, Cullen (draper) were saved. The building destroyed was owned by Mr, W. Ellis, and was insured for £100, whilst he also had a policy for £75 on the shop of Griffiths Bros. The tatter's stock and furniture were insured in the New Zealand office for £100. Mrs. Morton's stock and furniture were insured for £200.

While the firo was raging at Paeroa the business premises of Mossrs. Adams Bros,, at Karangahako, wero also on fire, and as was tho case with the Paeroa fire, tho whole building was totally destroyed, and not ono vestige of tho five shops which graced Karangahake were left standing, The alarm in this instance was given by Messrs. Hickton and Hleatb, who lived in a small restaurant adjoining Adams's stores. Thoy were both awakened by the falling of goods in the store, and having risen to ascertain the cause, took in the situation at a glance, and they immediately gave an alarm. The fire was then confined to a portion of the building betwoon the ironmongery and drapery departments, bub ib soon spread, and in the absence of u water supply ib was soon apparent that nothing oould save the premises. A large number of people had by this time congregated, and a commencement was made to save the adjoining buildings, A buokot brigade was formed, and through these efforts the fire was prevented from spreading, and the flames eventually combated successfully. The whole of Adams Brothers' large and valuable stock was, however, destroyed, though tho books, which were encased in a fireproof safe, were saved. A cottage, I which was part of Adams' buildings, and occupied by Mr. Hiokton, who had on Saturday night sub-leasod a small restaurant business to Mr. Hieatt, was also destroyed. This building and the grocery was owned by Mr. Barrett, butcher.of Paeroa, and was insured in the Standard office for £2(10. The other portion of the building, which comprised & bakery, ironmongery, and drapery departments, was owned by Adams Bros., and together with the stock was insured for £950, £300 of which was on the shop and contents, in tho North German office; £100 on the bakery in the same office; and £500 on the stock in the Commercial Union office. Messrs. Adams Bros.', however, are very heavy losers, their slock alone being valued at £3000, a heavy winter stock of drapery and now goods having just been received. How the fire originated is a mystery, as a firo is novor lit in the shop, while all the matchos in tho grocery were as usual packed away carefully for fear of rats m a largo case. The shop was locked up safely on Saturday night, and it is not supposed that ib had been entered until the time of the fire; aud as the proprietors reside in Paeroa, they have suffered a very heavy loss. As a consequence they possess the sympathy of a large section of the community. Another very unplonsant incident connected with the fire was the losing of £92 in notes by a woman named Mrs. Quinn, a boardinghousokeoper. Ib' appears that among the things taken out of her house in time of danger was a chest of drawers, in one partition of which Mrs, Quinn had stored away the parcel of notes. However, when she recovered from tho shook of the firo, her mind reverted to the hag of money, but she found that during the time tho piece of furniture was outside it was rifled, and the amount stated confiscated by some person.