EARLY CITY FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20024, 14 August 1928, Page 11

EARLY CITY FIRES.

GREAT OUTBREAK OF 1873. THE VOLUNTEER BRIGADE. HISTORY OF THE CORPS. IMPORTANT RECORDS PRESERVED. Fire-fighting in the early days of Auckland is graphically described in three record books at present in the city, one being in the possession of the public library and the other two the property of the Fire Brigades and Salvage Corps' 'Association of New Zealand. At the annual meeting of this organisation, held last week, it was stated almost complete records of the history of the Auckland [Volunteer Fire Brigade are available, tracing its progress from the foundation 5n 1858 to the time when its duties were transferred to the City Council. The oldest of the books, which was presented to the library in 1899, contains the superintendent's entries from 1858 to 1868 and newspaper clippings to a much later date. Bound in cloth and quartercalf it bears signs of patient clerkship. The handwriting is careful and every entry is set out in an orderly manner, making it easy to follow the activities of the unit. Some preliminary entries dated in the last few months of 1857 concern the formation of the corps, but it was not until early in the following year that the decision to. form a fire brigade was reached. Sufficient men offered their services and operations were commenced with three engines.

Fifty Houses Burned. 'Although most of the entries relate to the business of the corps there are a number of short references to fires. The following extract describes an outbreak that must be among the most destructive in the history of Auckland. " A fire broke out this morning at about halfpast one o'clock in Osprey Public House, High Street. The engines were quickly on the spot but, in spite of every effort, it continued to rage unabated until nearly nine o'clock, consuming nearly 50 houses and a very large amount of property." In 1859 the corps had 145 members and controlled four engines, but just at a point when its success seemed assured the corps went temporarily out of existence. !A difference had arisen with the provincial superintendent and on May 10 a meeting was called at which it was decided to disband the force. The chairman read a letter received from the provincial superintendent which is quoted in the scrap book as follows: —"Acknowledging receipt of copy of rules, and enclosing extract from a letter addressed to the Inspector of Police by Mr. Derrom, in which that gentleman refused to recognise the rules passed by the brigade, or to acknowledge Mr. Asher as connected with the brigade in the light of a superintendent."''

A further grievance was voiced in the resolution " that as his Honour does not see fit to place the Northern Company's Engine under the management of the Auckland Volunteer Fire Brigade, thereby throwing discouragement in the way of carrying out the operations of the brigade, the members do at once return their shirts and belts and disband." The meeting then dissolved and the Auckland Volunteer Fire Brigade was declared by the chairman to be no longer in existence. Reorganisation of Brigade.

The next entry is on May 1, 1865, almost six years later, when the brigade ■was reorganised, with Mr. Asher as secretary and superintendent. Reports of meetings and comments on fires continue until the last entry in 1368, but descriptions of the nature and location of outbreaks are mostly contained in the clippings at the rear o£ the book. Meetings were held regularly at various hotels, and it appears that conviviality was one of the chief attractions of- these gatherings. Unfortunately the newspaper clippings are mostlv undated, and do not appear to have been inserted in any logical sequence. In this way the importance of a valuable record is somewhat, marred. A number of reports deal with tires in which damage amounted to over £30,000 or £40,000, indicating the prevalence of fire at a time when city buildings were constructed mainly of wood, and the machinery of the brigade was comparatively cumbersome.

A keen delight in theatrical entertainments is indicated in another cutting which gives an account of a performance the unit attended at the Theatre Royal, the programme being divided into three parts. The ghost scene from Hamlet was followed by songs, performances on the trapeze and "nigger lectures." In this section of the entertainment two of the performers were slightly injured, one falling from a trapeze and the other from the stage into the audience. "Slim Jim, or Barnum's Ball," contributed the last portion of the programme. Fierce Fire in the City. A large section of the newspaper clippings is devoted to the historic fire which broke out in a shop in Queen Street on September 6, 1873. Fifty-two buildings were reported to have been destroyed, and damage estimated at £70,000 was caused. Four hotels, and the premises of six grocers, seven shoemakers, three butchers and three watchmakers were consumed by the flames, in addition to nearly 30 other buildings. The fire became utterly beyond the control of the brigade and the supply of water was very poor. Dry wood fed the flames and the wind increased with the conflagration. Less than half an hour after the fire commenced the blaze had spread from its point of origin, in the vicinitv of the present intersection between Queen Street and Darby Street, to the United Service Hotei, at the corner of Wellesley Street. Before long the fire crossed Wellesley Street and finally involved an area bounded by Victoria Street, the old market site, Queen Street and Elliot Street. In their desiro to save as much property as possible helpers paid no attention to the nature of the goods they handled, and threw silverware, cutlery, valuable glassware, and even a piano from upper windows, with as much abandon as they did mattresses and less fragile articles.