FIRES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14243, 18 June 1908, Page 7

FIRES.

| (Per United. Phess Association.) i ' WELLINGTON, June 17. , A firs occurred this morning at thfl , othces of tho Mutual Life Association. It . was- caused by tho overturning of a kero- . ecnestoye. The fire soon had a firm grip . of the office furniture, and, licking tho ; ceiling, for a timo it looked as if the . brigade would liavo a difficult task; but j the firemen did good work, and got tho . blaze under. Structurally, tho building :■ lias not suffered much. Tfio Press Aescciai tion offices in the same building vvero' i damaged slightly, but this is covered by > insurance. - CHIWBTOHUROH, June 17. - Lonsiderabks exoitement was caused at / i the Public Library yesterday afternoon, - owing to the discovery of a fire in the j reference _ department, which is contained - in a portion of tho south-west wing, of tho - b . ul 'dfng. Tho firo took place in the i shelving in the balcony portion of the i department, and More it was got under i four volumes of ihc "Minutes of the > Council on Education," and a" volume en-' , titled "Now Methods iu Education,!' by , J. Liberty Todd, ~had been damaged, i Two of tho. volumes of the "Minutes" i are badly damaged, and all the volumes ! will have .to he replaced. Indications i were discovered that apparently point to s thp outbreak being tho work of an incen- -" i diary or incendiaries. The polico arc i making inquiries into the affair. The in- , surances are divided between local comi panics, and tho total on the buildings if ■ £7250, and on tho books, fittines, oto„ £10,700.