FIRES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1212, 24 May 1895, Page 31

FIRES.

Shortly before. 11 o’clock on Friday a fire occurred in one of the rooms of the Government Life Insurance Buildings. On the alarm being given by a passer-by the Brandon street Fire Brigade turned out under Foreman Woolcott and soon got the fire under. The outbreak occurred in, the large room fronting* Brandon street, which is occupied by the actuarial branch, and

originated from the heating apparatus, just inside the windoAV on the first floor adjoining the Corporation offices. The room and contents at that end are someAvhat injured by fire and water, and the damage is estimated at about £IOO, which is covered by insurance. The watchman went his hourly round at 10 o’clock, at which time there Avere no signs of fire in the room. By Telegraph —Press Association. Auckland, May 17. The Pokeno Public School was burned down early this morning, Avith all its 1 fittings and the library. The origin of the fire is unknown. There is no insurance. By a fire in Edwin street, NeAvton, this afternoon, three houses Avere burned down, and a fourth damaged. Sealy’s house, occupied by Mrs Wrigbt, was insured for £SO in the Royal office; Higgins’, occupied by Alfred Harvey, bootmaker, was insured for £ls, Colonial; Harvey, uninsured; Mrs Bell’s house insured, house and furniture, £IOO, South British, and for a like amount in the New Zealand office ; Burch ell’s house (partly damaged), £BO, Phoenix. May 18. j The Pokeno fire is believed to be a case of incendiarism. There have recently been a number of suspicious fires in the district. Woodville, May 20. At 2 o’clock on Sunday morning a fire broke out in Beagley’s block, but was confined by the brigade to the premises occupied by Messrs Loader (baker) and Maun (tobacconist). The cause of the fire was a defective chimney in Mann’s, where the fire originated. The stocks of Messrs Bowden (fru Merer), C. Hall, M.H.R., (stationer), and the library and fittings in | the office of Mr Flo ranee, solicitor, were l damaged by removal. Mann’s chimney j had beigji on fire about four hours before, | and the woodwork had evidently smouldered ' from that time. Mr Loader’s loss is £SO, and Mr Mann’s

£IOO. Both are uninsured. Mr Florance had his library insured for £IOO in the Phoenix. Mr C. Hall had a policy for £4OO in the Norwich Union on his stock, and Mr Beagley one for £4OO in the same office on the buildings. Christchurch, May 16.

At 1 o’clock this morning a fire destroy e,d a nine-roomed house on the South Belt, owned and occupied by Mrs Elizabeth Bailey, and also a small cottage adjoining, owned by Mr Jones, of Timaru, and occupied by J). Howard. Ho effects were saved. Mrs Bailey’s house was insured for <£2so in the Standard office, and her furniture for £250 in the Liverpool, London and Globe; Jones’ house for £75 in the South British. Two of the crew of the Croydon Lass were attempting to cross the bar at Wanganui, when their boat capsized. The men were rescued by the crew from the Pilot Station Captain Irvine and Messrs McGonagle, C. Wing and T. Grange. At the inquest concerning the death at the Hawera Hospital of Alfred James Sole, of Okaiawa, the evidence showed that he fell from his horse about three chains from the Okaiawa Hotel, and had his skull fractured. Mrs Kaye, who went to Auckland from the South with her husband, Mr Kaye (of the firm of Kaye and Carter, Christchurch), to attend the wedding of Miss McCorquodale, accidentally walked into the water at the Devonxaort ferry tee,. Auckland, on Tuesday week. Her husband immediately sprang to her assistance, but was unable to swim. A cabdriver named Wiley gallantly went overboard to the assistance of Mrs Kayo, and kept her afloat until a boat was launched from the ferry steamer and picked both up. In the meantime bystanders bad thrown a lifebuoy to Mr Kaye, which he secured.

Mr G. B. Richardson, o£ Marlborough, who met with a serious gun accident, has been in Wellington consulting Dr F. W. Mackenzie, and there is a likelihood that the sight of his injured eye will be preserved. James Alexander, St. Albans, died suddenly on May 15 from heart disease . An enquiry was held by the Coroner on Friday concerning the death of Ivy R, Fleming, a child which died on Thursday morning in the house of Mrs Giles, Tinakori road. Mrs Giles said she was not registered under the Infants’ Life Protection Act, and was not aware until the previous day that she should have been. Dr Mason said death was due to collapse, arising from peritonitis. Deceased ought to have been attended to by a doctor, and if that had been done the child’s life might, he thought, have been saved. The jury, of which Mr A. Gillespie was foreman, returned a verdict in accordance with Dr Mason’s evidence.

The RangiWcei Advocate reports a sad accident to a child of Mr Lanksliear, M Colyton, six years of age, who got its forehead broken in, while playing, on the road, by a biow from the hoof of a horse which was being ridden by. Part of the brain protruded from the fracture, so that there is little hope of the child recovering. An accident of a serious nature occurred to George Newman, a tram driver, on Saturday evening. Newman, who lives at Newtown, was returning from tea on a car driven by G. Boasley, and on arriving at the tramslieds he went to jump off, when his foot slipped, and he fell underneath the car. He was pulled out by the conductor, Crawford, at which time the back wheel of the car was just touching his neck. He was taken to the Hospital, where it was found that several of his ribs were broken. On enquiry at the Hospital, we were informed that he is seriously hurt. Newman is a nephew of Mrs Paul Colfey, of Oriental Bay, and his brothers Harry and Tom are well known as coach drivers on the Nelson-West Coast road. His brother Tom was nearly killed some time ago by a coach accident on the West Coast, from which he has not yet recovered. It is only a short time ago that George Newman sustained an injury to one of his leg's, which was probably the cause of his falling off the car ©n Saturday evening. A man named John McAlister met with a serious accident at Sandon on Friday through being thrown from his horse. Dr Bennett, of Bulls, who was called in after the accident, ordered his removal to the Palmerston Hospital. McAlister is reported to be in a serious condition, being injured internally, and it is feared, says the Palmerston Times, that the accident will prove fatal.

On Saturday afternoon, while Mrs Major, of Bunnythorpe, was driving near the Catholic Church, reports the PalmerstonStandard, the wheel of the conveyance in which she was seated collided with one of the tree guards alongside the road, the force of the blow overturning the vehicle, the driver being pinned underneath. Assistance was promptly rendered, and Mrs! who appeared to be severely hurt, was taken to the hospital in a cab. On inquiry at that institution we ascertained that the injuries Mrs Major sustained were to her shoulder and side, but they were not of a serious nature.

About 11.30 on Monday morning a pair of horses attached to a cab belonging to Mr J. Lane, bolted from Upper Willis street, and collided with the verandah posts at the Albert Hotel. Two of the posts were smashed, and the horses continued their career down Willis street, and having damaged two more verandah posts outside the shop of Mr Peak, bootmaker, and smashed the cab, went on again, and brought up against the posts outside the shop of Mr V. Faina, confectioner. One of the posts was torn out of the ground, another was damaged, and one of the horses was knocked senseless. The other was pulled up immediately afterwards. Hobart, May 17. Edward Murray, a steerage passenger by the Rimutaka booked to Wellington, jumped overboard during the voyage and was drowned, Paris, May 17. A French torpedo boat capsized at Eochfort, and four of the crew were drowned. Masterton, May 17. The mail coach crossing Tenui'River today was overturned. The passengers escaped by swimming ashore, but two of the horses were drowned and one mail hag lost. The coach was broken in two. Later. Ho further particulars are to hand regarding the coach accident in the Tenui River. It is reported, however, that two mail bags are missing. Messrs Forman and Co., the owners of the coach, estimate their loss at over £IOO. . Auckland, May 18. A man named Alexander Hodder, coal and firewood dealer, ivas found dead in his stable, where he had been feeding horses. It is believed that death was due to heart disease. Dunedin, May 20. An accident occurred on the Roslyn tramcar this afternoon, which was fortunately not attended by serious results. When the car is approaching the bottom it is customary to stop it about 16 feet above the terminus, when the cable is released and the car braked down. The passengers noticed that the car was travelling somewhat faster than usual nearing the bottom, but before they could do anything the car came to a sudden stop, being brought up by the lower works coming- into contact with the end of the groove tinough which the cable is seized by the gripper. There were ten passengers, and these were thrown into such violent contact with the front of the car that the glass was smashed and tho iron guards bent and twisted. Mrs White, Roslyn, a stout lady of about GO, was the most injured, being considerably bruised about the head and face. Miss Armstrong was considerably shaken tho others escaped with light

Praises or a shaking. William Arthur, a compositor, had his wrist wrenched and cut. There is always au element of danger about the line, if the brake fails to act, and on this occasion the brake failed. Joseph Isaacs, one of the forwards of the Dunedin Football Club, while shooting at Tomahawk yesterday, had two pellets discharged into his right eye by a youth named Morris. It is feared he will lose the eight of that eye. Monday’s Palmerston Times records a -e/ies of accidents: —On Sunday evening as Hr C.Hosking, his wife and their son Arthur wore driving down the short incline in Princess street the horse fell, throwing the occupants of the trap on to the road. Mrs Hiking fell heavily, and was picked up in £k half unconscious condition. She received a severe strain of the muscles of the neck. Mr Hosking got a cut on the right side of his forehead, while the boy was somewhat shaken., but otherwise uninjured. On Saturday afternoon Mr J. J. Lee, of Atnesibury street, was knocked down in the Square by a dog, and had one of his ribs broken, beside receiving a severe shock to his system. One evening last week a son of Mr W. T. "W ood was riding a pony near the gasworks when a man driving a spring cart without lamps dashed into him. The shaft caught the boy in the stomach and threw him to •fcka ground with such force that he was Tendered unconscious. He has now nearly recovered. On Friday last Master C. | Mowlem cut his- nose and one eyelid very severely with a barbed wire. Fortunately the eye was not injured. On Saturday afternoon he was thrown from a horse, which slipped on the crossing near the Post Office, and fell on his head, receiving Borne nasty bruises. During the football game Palmerston v. Pirates on Saturday, I .Butler, playing at half-back for the latter team, had has shoulder dislocated. j