TAURANGA FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22345, 17 February 1936, Page 8

TAURANGA FIRE

HOTEL AND SHOPS CLEAN SWEEP BY FLAMES DAMAGE ABOUT £IO,OOO WOMAN'S PLUCKY EFFORTS [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION"] TAURAiS'GA, Saturday A woman's brave but unavailing efforts to dispose of a burning mattress through a partially opened window was followed by the complete destruction in the Strand at 2.15 o'clock this afternoon of the old Tauranga Hotel of two storeys, four two-storey shops adjoining and plumbing works and a shop facing Hamilton Street with the rear abutting on the hotel yard. The fire was fanned by a fresh easterly breeze blowing on to the Strand and the buildings were reduced to ashes within an hour. The total damage is estimated at £IO,OOO. Details of the premises destroyed are: — Tauranga Hotel, licensee, Mr. K. J. Rennie, building owned by Mr. J. A. C. Fleming, of Gisborne, a former licensee. Mrs. I. M. Lockver, dressmaker. Mrs. E. Wiltshire, greengrocer. Mr. A. Stuart, second-hand dealer. Mr. E. E. White, restaurant proprietor. Tauranga Plumbing Company's premises in Hamilton Street, including a shop. The building was owned by Mr. T. Tanner, of Tauranga. The four other shops were owned by Guinness Brothers. • > Cries Summon Aid Summoned by the cries of another member of the hotel staff, who saw smoke issuing from a room in the staff quarters in the top corner of the hotel facing Harrington Street, Mrs. Canty burst open the door and found two pillows and the mattress alight. Mrs. Canty tried to smother the fire, but when this failed she got rid of the pillows out of the window. She then tried to get the doubled mattress through the same aperture, but had to desist to open the window further. On her next brave attempt, the curtains and wallpaper caught fire and within a few seconds the room was ablaze. Mrs. Canty attempted salvage operations in adjoining rooms until she was forced to seek safety down the fire escape. Although the brigade was quickly on the scene it was impossible to save the buildings. The hotel went rapidly and soon a seething mass of flames was setting fire to telegraph poles and scorching palm trees on the opposite side of the Strand. Loss of Valuables The proprietor of the hotel, Mr. K. J. Ronnie, saved his cash, but nothing else. The contents of the safe were lost and also valuables in a private room. There were few guests in the hotel at the time, but two married couples lost all their belongings. Mrs. Rennie was ill and had to be removed to the hospital. The whole of the contents of the hotel were destroyed. Mr. Rennie estimates his personal loss at nearly £BOO. The buildiog was owned by Mr. J. A. C. Fleming, of Gisborne, a former licensee. The insurances are not available. It was soon realised that the adjoining shops, which to all appearances formed part of the hotel, would go. This block was insured with the Atlas Assuranco Company for £IOOO. Mrs. Lockyer's shop was closed at the time and a portion of the contents was saved. Mrs. Wiltshire is understood to have had no insurance and her loss is estimated at £450. Mr. Stuart saved most of the'contents of his shop and his estimated loss is comparatively small. Mr. White saved a considerable quantity of the contents of his restaurant. He was overcome by smoke and got out just in time. Workers' Strenuous Efforts In the meantime the fire had swept across the hotel yard and attacked the back of the Tauranga Plumbing Company's premises. A band of workers directed by Mr. Sutton, one of the proprietors, had been working strenuously from the beginning of the outbreak getting out as much stock as possible, but as a considerable quantity of it was of a heavy nature it was impossible to move it. It was also impossible to save the machinery.* The shop was gutted. The firm will be heavy losers. The insurances are not known. The brigade was compelled to make a stand at an eight-foot right-of-way adjoining Mr. White's restaurant to prevent the fire from spreading to three shops adjoining which complete the block on the Strand from Harrington to Hamilton Streets. Fortunately the flames were checked at this point. The stock in the shop occupied by Mr. W. H. C. Murray, electrician, was damaged by smoke and water. The Loan and Mercantile premises in Hamilton Street running back close to the hotel yard had a narrow escape. Mr. Washer's motor works on the other side of Hamilton Street caught fire, but tho flames were quickly put out. Firo also broke out in the Masonic Hotel yard as the result of Hying embers, but wore at once extinguished. HOUSE AT WAIHI DESTROYED ABSENCE OF THE OWNER [BY TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENT] WAIHI, Sunday

A live-roomed houso in Union Street, owned and occupied by Mr. Richard Farrands, was destroyed by fire at seven o'clock this morning. The cause of the outbreak is not known. The owner left yesterday morning on a visit to Auckland. Details of insurance aro not nvailablo.