SPECTACULAR FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25051, 15 November 1944, Page 4

SPECTACULAR FIRE

LARGE HOUSE BUBNED CHRISTCHURCH LANDMARK (0.C.) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday _ One of the most spectacular fires in Christchurch for many years occurred during the night, when the Cracroft Wilson home off Hackthorne Road, Cashmere Hills, was burned to the ground. The house, which contained more than 30 rooms, was built of kauri :nid American hardwoods, 'lhe cause of the fire is not known. , About half an hour alter the arrival of the firemen the big tiled roof of the house fell in with a great crash, taking with it the floor of the top storey. With the interior of the building open to the sky, the flames shot unto a height of between 150 and 200 feet, sending up clouds of sparks high aho\ r e the tops of the tall pine trees behind the house. As water was poured on to the fire an immense pall of smoke drifted over Cashmere Hills, and the whole area was brilliantly lit up. The fire burned fiercely for about an hour, leaving only the tall chimneys of tho house standing, and a small singlestorey portion at the south-east corner. | When Japan entered the war the building was taken over by the armed forces as a Combined Headquarters. More recently it has'been the headquarters of the Southern Group of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It is reported that Southern Group Headquarters of the Royal New Zealand Air Force had* practically completed vacating the house, and that the building was being put back into repair before being restored to the owners at the end of the year. CONVICTED BOOKMAKERS TELEPHONES DISCONNECTED DEPARTMENT'S PROCEDURE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday About 150 trunk telephones have been disconnected by the Post and Telegraph Department during the last 18 months in cases where there was confirmed evidence that the hirers or users had been convicted of bookmaking. These figures take account only of trunk lines to which there are often house extensions. Statements are sometimes made that persons convicted of bookmaking have possessed one or more telephones, but if there is more than one trunk line it existed before the imposition of the wartime limit of one telephone to each residency, unless special circumstances requiring the installation of more than one could be shown. The withdrawal of a convicted bookmaker's telephone privileges is recommended by the department to the Minister, who exercises his prerogative in approving an order for the removal of a telephone in such cases. These instructions have always been in force. There are now about 8000 prospective subscribers awaiting telephone connection in the Dominion, including some 2800 in the Wellington and Hutt areas. An adequate supply of instruments is available, but the limiting factor is congestion rtf switchboard accommodation. It lias not been possible to import the apparatus required for this since the outbreak of the war. NOXIOUS WEED MENACE WING THISTLE IN WAIKATO (0.C.) HAMILTON, Tuesday A noxious weed that was new to the Auckland Province, wing thistle, had made its appearance in the Waikato, stated Mr G. G. Winter, overseer to the Waikato County Council, in a report to tho council today. Mr Winter said that many farmers had failed to recognise the weed, and consequently had neglected it. Only a few patches, well scattered, had been found. The only known method of checking the menace was by cutting and grubbing.' Mr Winter explained that wing thistle was regarded as an annual, and in the poorer lands of Otago it was actually used as fodder for stock. He emphasised tho danger of farmers ignoring the weed, because on Jiighly fertilised land it could easily smother the pasture. HOSPITAL NEEDS WAIKATO BOARD'S AREA (0.C.) HAMILTON, Tuesday A tour of the board's area has been made by the Waikato Hospital Board to ascertain the needs of the district respecting small hospitals. Reporting to a meeting of the board a committee recommended . that the time had come when the board should establish the principle of erecting small hospitals in the various outlying districts. The recommendation was adopted and a full report will be discussed at the next meeting. PROMOTIONS IN NAVY (Special Correspondent) (Reed, 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 13 The following promotions of New Zealanders in the Fleet Air Arm are announced:— Lieutenants.—C. H. Leighton (New Plymouth), E. A. Morrison (Hamilton), G. W. J. Blacker (Auckland), D. R. Rowe (Wellington). Sub-Lieutenants. —P. T. Knowles (Matamata), Iv. N. May (Christchurch), T. Neale (New Plymouth), R. H. M. Austin (Hataitai). •T. P. Freeney, Auckland, of the R.N.Z.N.V.R., has been promoted to sub-lieutenant.

BELGIAN CELEBRATION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday Belgians will celebrate tomorrow the feast of the patron saint of King Leopold 111., who, as a prisoner of war, was transferred to Germany of D Day, says a statement issued by the Belgian Consul-General in Wellington. Thelast letter from the King was received in Brussels before the liberation of the Belgian capital. It was dated July 5 and was sent under the auspices of the International Red Cross. In it the King asked for food parcels to be sent to him. There is still no information as to the precise place where he is interned. Pending the return of King Leopold, his brother, Prince Charles, was elected Regent of Belgium by tlie Belgian Parliament*