DESTRUCTION BY FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19658, 9 June 1927, Page 10

DESTRUCTION BY FIRE.

HOSIERY MILL IN FLAMES. SERIOUS DAMAGE SUSTAINED. MASTERTON COMPANY'S LOSS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COB. RESPONDENT. 1 ] MASTERTON, Wednesday. The Masterton Spinning and Hosiery Mills, in Lincoln Road, were seriously damaged by fire late last night. The alarm of fire was sounded a few minutes before midnight and a glare ever the northern pari of the town indicated that the fire was. on a serious scale. The fire brigade was quickly on the scene and promptly brought several leads of hose to bear, but the interior of the building, with its valuable contents of machinery and materials, was completely gutted before the flames could be suppressed. When the brigade arrived the whole of tho interior of tho building was a fiery mass, and flames were shooting through the roof and through the windows, which occupy a large part 'Of the exterior wall space of the factory. Within a very brief period the fire was under control, although a great deal of inflammable material in a state of incandescence remained to be dealt with inside tho building. The damage to the building is extensive. The lighter portion of tho roof collapsed and the inside of the building is completely gutted. The origin of the firo is not known. The manager of the hosiery mills was ou the premises last evening until 7 o'clock, and when he left everything appeared to be safe. An adjoining building, Mr. G. Sunderland's fibrous plaster factory, caught fire under the eaves, but the flames at these points were speedily put out. The mill, a one-storey building of concrete and brick, with an iron roof, was erected about three years ago. The insurances, all with the Royal Insurance Company, were:—Stock and stores, £4000; machinery, £3000; building, £IOOO. The employees of the spinning and hosiery , mills number 25, and most of them are girls. At a meeting of the directors of the company to-day it was unanimously decided to recommend to the shareholders that* the mill be re-established as soon as possible. The chairman of directors, Mr. F. Petersen in an interview, stated that the company's prospects were never brighter until the fire. The business had been progressing slowly from a small oeginning. The staff had been increased from 14 to 25 and extra plant had recently been? installed to cope with the expansion of business in the hosiery line. The company had made a profit of £4OO on the first six months' operations, and this year, although uot completed, gave every indication of being most successful. BUSINESS PREMISES SUFFER. BUILDING AT WAIPUKURAU. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PBESS ASSOCIATION.] WAIPUKURAU, Wednesday. A fire occurred in the" centre of the town last evening, two-storey business premises being completely gutted. The brigade did well to save the adjoining building of Mr. H. Reckin, hairdresser and billiard saloon proprietor. The outbreak apparently originated in a portion of the building occupied by Mr. P. D. Henderson, florist, and spread to the other part occupied by Mr, C- A. Bliss, baker and confectioner, and to the top storey, occupied as a dwelling by Mr. and Mrs. Chattaway and _ child. The building was about 20 years old and was owned by Mrs. E. A. Bicknell, of Hamilton. The contents of Mr. Reckin's shop and saloon were damaged by water. OUTBREAK IN HOTEL. STAFF'S QUARTERS AFFECTED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.} FEILDING. Wednesday. An outbreak of fire was discovered in the staff's quarters at the Denbigh Hotel this afternoon. The brigade quickly had the fire under control, but much damage was done by smoke and water. The premises are owned by Mr. W. Hook and the licensee is Mr. MacPherson. A fire occurred in the same wing of the building some years ago and caused similar damage. The building is of brick. PAPAKURA OARAGE BURNED. MOTOR-CAR AND TOOLS LOST. i A garage owned by Mr. W. L. Lincoln, plumber, in Young's Beach Road, Papakura, was completely destroyed by fire shortly before midnight on Tuesday. A Studebaker motor-car and a number of tools and business books were also destroyed The car was insured for £350 m the Ocean. Occident and Guarantee Corporation, and the garage for £SO in the New Zealand Insurance Company. DAMAGE TO MOTOR-BUS. FIRE QUICKLY SUPPRESSED. A Reo motor-bus owned by tho Aucklaijd City Council was slightly damaged by firo in the garage in St. Mark's Road, Remuera, shortly before five o'clock yesterday afternoon. The outbreak, which was caused by the engine back-firing, was promptly suppressed with chemicals by the Remuera and Parnell brigades.