FIRES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7004, 28 July 1884, Page 3

FIRES.

The complete insurances in connection with the fire at Messrs Hatton, King, and Co.'s confectionery factory on Priday night were as follow;— The stock and plant were insured in tha Hamburg-Magdeburg Office for £750, and in the Equitable and Australian MercantUe Offices for £025 each, in all £2000; and the building was insured in the National Office for £IGOO. There seems every reason to believe that the fire originated near the boUer, tha flue from which, at an elbow, ran close to soma boarding.

Two fires occurred on Saturday evening, by which small wooden buildings and their contents were totally destroyed. Tho first alarm waa at about 6 50 p.m., when it was discovered that a three-roomed cottage near Normanby, North-East Valley, was in flames. Tha house was owned and occupied by Mr Thomas Meehan, who was absent at the time. Mrs Meehan, it seems, left home at about 6 o'clock, and the tram for tho city passing at the time, she hurriedly blew out the lamp, or attempted to blow it out, and locked tha door. A man named Heads passing shortly afterwards heard an explosion, and looking round saw the cottage on fire. House and effects were insured in tho Equitable Office for £200. Mr Meehan is stated, however, to be a loser over and above this, as nearly £G0 in cash was in the house at the time.

_ The second fire broke out shortly before 12 o'clock on Saturday night in a grocery store with two rooms attached, occupied by Mr Alexander Leckie, and situated in Great King street, between Howe and Duke streets. Mr Leckie lived there with his wife and two children, and states that he retired to bed at about 11 o'clock. Two young men passed some time afterwards, and fii-.ding the shop on fire, ran round to the back to rouse the inmates. So rapidly, however, had the flames spread that great difficulty was oxperienced in getting the family out safely. They fortunately managed to escape by the window, but everything within the building was destroyed. The stock was insured with ths Australian Mercantile Union for £100, but tha furniture was uninsured. The buUding was owned by Mrs Thomas, who is at present in Melbourne, and no particulars re insurance hive been ascertained. Mr Leckie was in the shop before retiring to rest, and was using matches, and the supposition, therefore, is that -he fixe originated by some carelessness at that time.