TELEGRAMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3368, 21 November 1872, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

GREAT FIRE AT AUCKLAND. Au< Xl, a ni), Noveml>er 20th. 4 a.m. (' Jiy SjKicinl Ilorne Express lo Mercer.) A great fire broke out in Fort street, at midnight, and spread with fearful rapidity to the back of Queen and Shortland streot&. The firo is supposed to have originated in a slated store belonging to Mr ."cherffs. All the stores from Mr BucTiolk'r to Mr Isaacs's, on the north side of Fort street, have been burnt down, including Mr Franz SeherfFs and Mr C. Tfiornc's, junr.; also, Mr Bucholx's bonded store. The latter contained goods from Mo«srs 15. and If. iKßacf, H. S. Meyers, and others, but principally Mr Bucholz's own tjoods. The whole ivere valued at £10,000. Nothing was saved from any of these stores, the fire spreading with such rapidity as not to allow time lo save even t&x-i books. The back of Mwsra Is;iaca'spremises was also destroyed. "Their loss, ' with the goods damaged, iai estiinitted at £1000. The flames' caught Mr Meyers'k back store, adjoining Messrs fsaac-i's, and Mewrs OoombcH and Daidy'e gum ntore. Had the latter ca»i«,'M, all Queen street, froia the Metropolitan to the wharf, must 'liave gone. { Shortly before 1 o'clock, smoke was seen issuing from the roof of the Custom House and Telegraph Office. The firemen were unable to reach the roof with the hose, and the building f.oon burst into flames. All hope of caving the block iva« lost. The fire then communicated with the Provincial Government ofiices and Post Ofiice. The mail-: and a few books were saved wi h great difficulty, but nearly all the Government papers were destroyed. The Custom House, with nearly all the papers in it, was totally destroyed ; as also were the Telegraph Office, Post Office, and all the Provincial ! Government ofiices. The instruments 1 wwre saved from the telegraph ofiice by j one of the operators. i Mr Lynch, the Magistrate's Clerk, j while endeavouring to aave some charts, j was nearly crushed by wood falling on j him. He escaped, but was dreadfully ! burnt, being covered with molten lead. Two firemen were disabled. Killips's dining rooms caught fire from : sparks, but the {lames were extinguished, j Cochrane's auction mart is now on tire, j and the storekeepers in the vicinity are I clearing out. The Bank of Australasia, I adjoining the Post Office, in in great i danger, and the hose is playing on it. Mr Nathan's store is continually igniting. 4.35 a.m. Messrs Thornton, Smith, and Firth's steam hydrant rendered great service in checking the *ire. The following persona' buildings are more or less damaged by fire, water, and removal: —M 'Arthur, Sheara, ami Co. (loss considcnible) ; Mobin, broker ; Allender's noap factory ; H, M. Jervis, and Morton and Onion, shipping agents; Jackson and Russell, solicitors ; Thames Gold Mining Company, and other offices. The estimated loss at present, including the Government Buildings, is £85,000. 9.32 a.<m. Great dissatisfaction is felt with the bad appliances, the weak supply of water, and the disputes between the Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Insurance Companies Fire Brigade. The Telegraph Office lost everything, but a temporary battery is being worked. The Post Office hos been removed to Fort Britomart Barracks ; the Custom House to a temporary ofiice at the foot of Fort 'street ; and the Provincial Government Offices to Mr Battray's store, in Shortlaud street. 12.5 p.m. The following is a correct list of the insurances on the property destroyed ;— * Norwich Union Co., £4000 ; Scottish Commercial Co., £1000; South British I Co., £1200; Victoria Co., £400; New I Zealand Co., £800; Royal Co., £3000.; i Northern Co., £2500 ; total, £12,500. i The fire has now been thoroughly got under. 1.31 p.m. Work was commenced this morning in the several Government Department, in their temporary offices. , The Provincial Government Records m the Record Office were all destroyed, but the Treasury cash and hooks were saved. ; The deeds, which were in a Milner's safe, j are all spoiled. The books, which were , in a safe made by Mann, London, are charred, but saved. The Waste Lands, ] department lost many valuable maps and 1 records. . ' A telegram from another source says:— , The telegraph instruments, Customs and Savings Bank records, and Provincial maps and plans, w«re mostly saved. At the fire all was confusion, the rival fire brigades squabbling. The fire originated in Mr Scherffs's store, Fort street, it is believed amongst the flax bales A. man was in the store at 8 o'clock, with a light, ' but he cays he locked it up safely. 5.48 p.m. Great anxiety is felt by people here for an enquiry into the origin of the fire. No suspicions are entertained regarding the cause, but it is attributed to mismanagement. The disputes between the rival fire brigades were scandalous. The Government Buildings were sacrificed while 2000 people were looking on- Not a ladder was available in time.