COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 776, 14 January 1887, Page 14

COUNTRY NEWS.

FEILDING.

[from our OWN correspondent.] Yet another fire lias taken place in our midst, by which another store, viz., that of the Wholesale Drapery and Grocery Company, together with the whole of its contents, has been destroyed. The place was closed at the usual time (6 p.m.) on Friday last, and the proprietor, Mr E. J. Cottrell, and his wife went shortly afterward for a drive to Palmerston, and the assistant proceeded on business to Woodville. Abont 9 o’clock a flickering light in the interior of the shop was observed by a passer-by. The flames spread with fearful rapidity, and in a few minutes the whole structure was in a blaze. The Manchester Rifles were at drill a short distance away, and Captain Macarthur at once marched his men to the spot at the double, and our plucky defenders immediately opened a vigorous onslaught on the enemy, the fire fiend, making such good use of their natural “ arms ” as to cut off the chance of his successful attack on the adjoining block of buildings. A number of willing civilians also rendered valuable aid, especially in fetching the “ammunition ” from the neighboring pumps, tanks, &c. Within a few feet of the site of the fire is situated Pollock’s large Temperance Hotel, called the Buckingham Palace, attached to which are several other places of business, and as nothing could be done to save the store, the attention of the defending party was directed principally to the former building, which was saturated as far as possible with water, the contents being speedily removed into the street. Both, however, suffered considerable damage, which is covered by insurance in the Equitable office. The store destroyed was insured in the same office, there being L9OO on the stock, and LIOO on the building. The value of the former was about LI6OO, and the latter L2OO. Mr Oottrell is therefore a great loser, and much sympathy is felt for him. The only feasible conjecture as to the cause of the fire is thatrat3, which were known to infest the spot, eot at the matches and ignited them. Fortunately the air was quite calm, or otherwise nothing could have prevented a great conflagration.