MASTERTON NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8845, 23 November 1889, Page 3

MASTERTON NEWS.

{from our own correspondent.) November 22. A cottage at Kurupuni, owned and occupied by Mr James Reardon, employed at the Gasworks, was found to be on fire about 1 o’clock this morning by Mrs Reardon, who had barely time to save her children before the whole building was a mass of flames. The "Volunteer Fire Brigade was quickly on the spot, and saved the adjoining buildings. The steam fire engine did" not arrive for some time, owing to the absence of hands to pull it along. The house was completely destroyed. It was insured for LIOO in the Union office, and there were also risks in the Standard of LSO on the furniture and L2O on the outbuildings. Mr Reardon was at work when the fi- e occurred, and it is supposed that the wind blew sparks from the fireplace into the kitchen after Mrs Rsaydon had retired for the night. A strong and steady north-e ts'orly wind blew all day yesterday and shook off a good deal of fruit, but did no other damage. A frost occurred in the Forty-mile Bush two or three days ago, and, according to reports which have come to hand, completely destroyed the early potato crop. Tho crops in the Valley continue to grow amazingly. Oats and barley are showing heads freely, and wheat also is swelling out. The harvest promises to be far and away the best ever known in the district. Both the evening papers severely condemn the action of the Education Board in proclaiming Wednesday last a school holiday throughout the district. It certainly does seem absurd that several thousand children should have been deprived of a day’s teaching because there was a stock show at the Hutt, which scarcely any of them or of their teachers attended.