TIMBER MILL BURNED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20112, 24 November 1928, Page 12

TIMBER MILL BURNED.

FIERCE FIRE AT MORAL LOSS AMOUNTS TO £25,000. SUM OF £B4OO IN INSURANCES. RESIDENTS FIGHT FLAMES. [BY TELEGRAM. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON. Friday A disastrous firo occurred at Mokai at six o'clock this morning, when tho Taupo Tolara Timber Company's largo mill was completely destroyed and damage to tho extent of £25,000 was done. The mill was enveloped in flames when the firo was discovered and little could be dono to save tho structure and its contents. For. tunately there was no wind blowing at tho time, or the wholo of tho Mokai village and a largo quantity of sawn timber must have been destroyed. Ths mill hand 4 worked hard to confino tho firo to one spot and by their efforts they succeeded in saving a small mill nearby, and tho contents of a benzine store, in which 100 gallons of petrol had been stored. A number of logs near tho mill were scorched by tho fire, but they were removed before they were seriously damaged. Several Narrow Escapes. Several narrow escapes were experienced by tho workmen, who endeavoured to enter tho burning mill to recover property. Tho.so who succeeded in rolling a number of drums of petrol from tho benzino store had very little time to spare before the store became ignited. The plucky action of tho men saved tho company from further considerable loss, for had the benzine caught fire tho small mill and tho offices could hardly have escaped. Several of tho men were slightly burned. The firo was discovered by a night watchman. At 5.30 a.m. he had passed through tho mill and everything seemed in order. He went to get a cup of tea, and when he returned 20 minutes later tho structure was ablaze from end to end.

The circumstances of the fire give rise to tho suspicion of incendiarism. A Spectacular Blaze. A spectacular blaze was provided by the fire as the flames consumed the ; building. The fire continued to rage throughout to-day. Unless tho wind springs np there is no danger of the flames spreading." Tho mill was insured in the New Zealand Insurance Company's office for £B4OO. The output of tho mill was between 12,000 and 14,000 superficial feet a day. An inspection of the scene of the fire this afternoon disclosed a heap of smok. ing ruins on the site whero one of the finest mills in New Zealand stood -yesterday. Only two chimney stacks and a brick fire box now stand. The mill, which was of the two-decker type, contained a large quantity of valuable plant including five engines and .an electric light plant. Valuable Trucks Burned. Beside the mill were four double-bogey trucks loaded with sawn timber. The trucks alone were worth £3OOO. All were destroyed. A saw doctor's apartment, containing tools valued at £65, tlm property of Mr. W. Gillibrand, were also destroyed. The tools were not insured. The general ( manager of the company, Mr. H. L. Coupe, was at Mokai when the firo occurred. He paid a tribute to the splendid manner in which the whole settlement, including the women, worked to combat the flames. The pumping engine which supplied water for the firefighting plant could not bo approached* owing to the fire, and buckets had to be used until steam could bo obtained from the small mill alongside and the pump plant operated. The absence of wind and the efforts of Ihc fire-fighters confined the outbreak- to the one structure. Twenty Men Lose Wcrk. The effect of the five is serious. Of the 34 men employed in and about til© mill 20 have been put off. Work is being found for the remaining 14 hands, most of whom are married. It is not thought that tho services of tho twenty men employed in tho bush by the company will be dispensed with, but it is likely that they will either bo required to extend their Christmas holidays or work shorter time until the mill has been replaced. Tho thirty men employed in tho company's mill at Putaruru, which is served by tho Mokai plant, will be kept busy for somo time to copo with tho large stocks of rough timber in hand. Tho destroyed mill was established at Mokai in 1904. At first it had a capacity of from 30,000 to 40,000 superficial feet a day, but during tho war its output was reduced to from 12,000 to 14,000 superficial feet a day, its recent capacity. Tho mill breaks down logs felled in tho company's bush eight miles away and drawn to tho mill by steam traction. Tho logs aro broken down and conveyed in tho form of sawn timber by tho company's private train to tho dressing mill at Putaruru, 51 miles away. It is estimated that since tho mill was built 125,000.000 superficial feet of timber have been handled in it.

An inquiry into the circumstances conuiuteil with tlio -outbreak will bo held.