CAT GIVES ALARM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21716, 3 February 1934, Page 10

CAT GIVES ALARM

FARMHOUSE ON FIRE OCCUPANTS" HURRIED ESCAPE [from: our own correspondent} HAMILTON, Friday An alarm given by a cat, which had apparently been frightened by the" flames, enabled the four occupants of a farm house at Matangi to make their escape with very little time to spare when the dwelling was totally destroyed by fire early this -morning. The owner of the hoiise, Mr. W. T. Luxton, who is a well-known breeder of Jersey cattle, was aisent attending the Whangarei Agricultural and Pastoral Association's show, and the house was occupied by Mrs. Luxton, Mr. T. Gormley, of Taranaki, a friend of Mr. Luxton, and two farm hands. Mrs. Luxton was awakened by the cat jumping on to her bed, and she found her room full of suioke, She roused the three men and all made a hurried escape with, what articles of clothing they could pick up. With no fire-fighting appliances available and with a fairly strong wind blowing, there was no chance of checking the 'fire, which appeared to have started in tjio kitchen at the- back, and the building was burned to the ground. The wash-house was also destroyed. No attempt could be made to save the furniture, but a degk containing Mr. Luxtonj,' s papers was rescued with difficulty. Mr. Gormley was a heavy loser, as he lost all his effects, including a gold watch and chain valued at 50 guineas. The furniture was insured for £3OO in the Sun Office. The house, which contained seven rooms, was also insured. KORTHCOTE RESIDENCE INTERIOR DAMAGED The interior of a seven-roomed house, owned and occupied by Mr. James T. Fearnley, in Princes Street, Northcote, was damaged by fire at about 10.30 a.m. yesterday morning. The furniture in some of the rooms was also destroyed by fire aud the lemainder was damaged by water and smoke. A neighbour first noticed smoke issuing from the house and, after attracting the attention-of Mrs. Fearnley, who was in the wash-house, the Northcote Brigade was summoned. The efforts of the firemen ;succeeded in confining the outbreak to the one building, the exterior walls of which were kept intact. This was fortunate as there was a high wind blowing at the time and, had the flames broken through, the task of saving the adjoining buildings would have been difficult. The building was insured in the British Traders' Office, and the furniture in the Yorkshire Office, bus the amounts were not available yesterday.