FIRE AT PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7568, 20 May 1886, Page 2

FIRE AT PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.

(Per United Press Association.}

Wellington, May 19.

Information has just leaked out that the Parliament buildings had a narrow escape of destruction by fire on Saturday night. A few minutes before seven on that evening a messenger on duty at the Speaker's private apartments had occasion to enter Sir Maurice O'Rorke's sitting-room, when he discovered the wooden mantle-piece to be on fire. He immediately called for assistance and had one of the hose reels kept on the premises run out. The fire was extinguished before any serious amount of damage was done. Had the fire not been discovered at the moment it was, it is probable that the whole building would have been destroyed, including the valuable library, as within five minutes after that time it is usual on Saturday nights for the Speaker's apartments to be locked. Considering the severity of the gale that was blowing, terrible results would have followed, for had the fire not been discovered in its incipient stage the flames could easily have passed up the adjoining staircase and spread through the whole building. An examination has since been made and shows that the fire originated through defective workmanship. There is only half an inch of plaster dividing the wood-work from the flame passing up the chimney. The boarding that the flames had not touched showed signs of having been charred by fire on previous occasions.