CANADIAN SENSATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9267, 7 February 1916, Page 5

CANADIAN SENSATION

PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS DESTROYED BY FIRE CONFLICTING OPINIONS AS TO THE SUPPOSED CAUSE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. OTTAWA,. February 4. The Parliament Buildings have been destroyed by fire, following an explosion. It is believed to be the work of an incendiary. Six lives were lost, four when a, wall collapsed, and two women guests of the Speaker, who ’were trapped in apartments. Several members and the wife of the Speaker had to jump into nets. The House was in session, and members had difficulty in escaping. Several were burned, and othera out by falling glass. Mr Burrell (Minister for Agriculture) was caught in his room, and had tho flesh burnt off both cheeks. He is suffering from shock. Ho states that he is sure the fire was of incendiary origin, and thinks a chemical was used. The Montreal fire apparatus was loaded on a special train and brought to the scene. Several members were carried out nearly suffocated. The military was called out, and placed a cordon to keep the crowd back. The library contained many valuable treasures, and was endangered by the fire, which started in the reading room in the left of the galleries. In three minutes the whole wing was filled with smoke. 1 Tho roof of tho House of Commons fell in, and the flames ate up the big tower of the Senate Chamber. The Prime Minister (Sir Robert Borden) announced that tbe House would assemble to-morrow afternoon, * Two members made their escape from the second story by tying towels together. One hurt his leg in falling. Only the skeleton of the building is left. Thcro'are conflicting statements as to the supposed origin of the fire. Several members of Parliament and policemen assert that they heard explosions; others declare that merely a pile of papers in a reading-room became ignited. An investigation has .been ordered. The Providence (Rhode Island) “Journal" publishes an announcement that three weeks, ago it notified the* Canadian Government of a plot, planned at the GermanEmbassv in Washington, by which tho Canadian Parliament House, tho Duke of Connaught’s residence at Ontario, and munition plants were to be destroyed. . . ... Mr William Loggie, member for New Brunswick, was missing, but is now Sa^e ’The dead include Madame Bray and Madame Morin, two visitors from Quebec, a waiter, two policemen, and a plumber. The fire ie now under ■control. . Mr E. B. Law, member of Parliament for Nova Scotia, ia missing. He is believed to be dead. ' ~ Sir Robert Borden and Sir Wilfrid Laurier addressed the House, which met in tbe Victoria Museum. They alluded to the sad features of the fire, and announced that an immediate investigation would be held. The library was saved through the firemen’s efforts. [“Of course, the most conspicuous single feature in the city,” writes a traveller regarding Ottawa, “is tho magnificent group of Government Buildings situated on a bluff, overlooking the Ottawa, and covering an area of four acres. They were erected between 1ST!) and 1865. at a cost of more than £1,000,000. Tho buildings are surrounded by bcautifullv-ker>i diversi-

fled with flower hcdsi The central building, with its fine tower *.2oft high, * s 470 ft in length, and consists of the House of Parliament proper, the uiugs containing the various ministerial offices, while** behind the main building is the Parliament library, a beautiful polygonal structure, with a dome supported by graceful flying buttresses. The only part of tho interior of the Dominion Buildings on which adornment has been lavished 3s the library, which now contains 160,000 Tolumes.”] “UNPARDONABLE CRIME AGAINST CIVILISATION” DELIBERATELY-PLANNED INCENDIARISM. WASHINGTON, February 4. Senator Thomas, Democrat, introduced in the American Senate <v resolution denouncing the Ottawa fire as an act of deliberately-planned incendiarism, and an unpardonable crime against civilisation. Other Senators asked that tho debate should be delayed until an investigation has been hold. NEW ZEALAND’S SYMPATHY MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR. His Excellency the Governor yesterday sent the following telegram to Field-Marshal His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Governor-General of Canada:— •'Myself, my Government, and tho people of New Zealand desire to express our deep regret at the nows of the loss sustained by the Dominion of Canada in tho destruction, by fire, of tho Canadian House of Commons. Wo should bo grateful to Your Royal Highness if you would bo graciously pleased directions for our sympathy to be conveyed to the relatives of those who have lost thoil* lives and to those who have been injured.—(Signed) Liverpool/* , b '