FIFTY YEARS AGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16300, 5 August 1916, Page 9

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

FIRE AT ONEHUNGA.

SEVEN HOUSES BURNED

'From the HEEAI.D of August 5, 1866.)

A most extensive and destructive fire occurred yesterday morning in Queen Street, Onehunga. involving very serious and very large loss of property. In less than an hour seven houses were reduced to ashes, including Captain Christie's (post office) building, also a stable at the rear of Christie's store.

The houses destroyed are that occupied by Mr. Kavanagh and two others forming the one block, and of which a person named Broadfoot is proprietor; a house belonging to a person named Burns, a pensioner. This person was totally uninsured, and has lost every particle of property he possessed in the world. Also a house occupied by a shoemaker named Ball, but owned by a person named Israel, who obtains his living by selling miscellaneous and fancy articles. Both these people are also uninsured, and are very large sufferers. The case of Burns is particularly painful, for. in addition to his loss, he had a sick mother, who had to be removed from her bed to a place of safety, and to whose system the shock has produced very serious consequences. Fortunately the neighbours assembled in consMerable numbers, and gave what assistance was in their power; but bv the time that the furniture could be removed from the houses the fire was at its height. Any possibility of extinguishing it by "the means of water in hand-buckets was perfectly hopeless. A man named Vickery, a carpenter, had also his dwelling burnt.