FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11625, 12 April 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

FIRES.

A fire in the Waihi Company's Waikino battery, at four o'clock on 28th of March, destroyed the shed containing the stonebreaker. It appears that roasted quartz from the kilns came down a wooden shoot into this shed, and apparently set fire to the shoot, which ignited the whole building. An engine and boiler in an adjoining shed were saved, after great exertions, but the shed was considerably damaged The (lames had got through the roof before the fire was noticed. Owing to the use of the company's water appliances by the employees, the battery was saved from destruction. The night shift had left half an hour before the fire occurred, and everything was apparently safe. Mr. Barry was early on the scene and thanked the men for their promptness in suppressing the fire. The reerecting of the building is now proceeding. The damage-is estimated at £300.

At an early hour on March 25 the Auckland Volunteer Drill Hall, standing back from Rutland-street and Wellesleystreet East, was completely destroyed by fire, but beyond the extension of sympathy to volunteer companies losing heavily through the loss of accoutrements, uniforms, furniture, etc., it is hardly likely that regret will be expressed at* the loss of the unsightly, dilapidated, and totally inadequate building that has for so many years clone service for the local garrison corps. It will be impossible to arrive at other than an approximate estimate of the loss of Government, including small arms, bayonets, and accoutrements— water bottles, haversacks—until the debris has been cleared up, and the returns showing the number of arms, etc., stacked in the various orderly rooms, have been made up at the Brigade" Office. The officer commanding the district (Lieut.-Colonel White) is, however, of opinion that it will take fully £800 to cover the losses in .303 rifles, carbines, bayonets, accoutrements, and medical instruments, etc.. the arms ? alone being worth something like £500.

Wallacetown Junction Hotel, a large two-storeyed wooden building, was destroyed by fire at an early hour on April 9. The insurances wore:— the building, £650 in the New Zealand office-; on the furniture, £300 in the National. Robertson, the licensee, estimates his loss at £500. A fire at Riverton on March 30 destroyed Moore's Hall and four shops, all wooden, occupied by J. Moore, tailor; J. Lvle, mining agent: F. Nash, painter; and A. Anderson, solicitor. The insurances are: The buildings in the Standard Office for £300; Moore's stock, in the same office for £100, and in the Victoria for a similar amount, and Nash's stock in the Standard for £30. The New Zealand, the Standard, and the Alliance Companies each have a risk on Robertson's building and stock, the total insurances being £1500, but the damage to this building was only slight.