FIRES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9715, 18 April 1893, Page 2

FIRES.

(Per United Press Association.) Christciiurcii, Aptil 17. At 11 o'clock last night a firo broke out in n large grain store at Addiugion, occupied by (ho Canterbury Seed Company. Owing to the difficulty of finding water an hoar was wasted before the steam engine got to work. The building and contents by this time were entirely destroyed, and the brigades turned their attention to saving the large malihouse adjoining the store, which contained a very large stoclc of gi-ass seed and grain. The store was the largest in Christchurch; it covered a quarter of an acre of ground, and was built of wood and iron. It was the property of Mr E. D. Thomas. Messrs Wood Brothers had Beveral hundred bags of wheat in the store, oud Messr3 Wigram Brothers a large quantity of barley, in addition to seed. Ths company had extensive grass seed cleaning plant in the store. How the fir^_ originated is unknown. The stora was locked up at 1 o'clock on Saturday, and no one is known to have b'en in the building since then. A gas engine was used for the purpose of running the machinery, but there was no fire in tho engine-room. The fire apparently broke out near the office.

The insurances are:—Store: £900 in the Alliance and £600 in tho South British. Maltkilcs, £1250 iv the National. Stock in store-: £4000 in the Victoria, of which £2500 is reinsured as follows:—£1000 in the Royal Exchange, £500 in the London, Lancashire, and Liverpool, £500 in the North British and Mercantile, £500 in the Norwich Union. Plant in Etore, £350 in the London and Lancashire. Gas engine, £150 in the South British. This company also hold a floating policy on Wood Brothers's wheat, of which less than £100 worth was destroyed. Wigram Brothers's grain was uniusured. The Seed Companj' estimate the value of the stock at £7000, but it is expected that a quantity of g^ass seed will be salvaged.