BURNING OF THE RAILWAY OFFICES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1488, 22 May 1880, Page 23

BURNING OF THE RAILWAY OFFICES.

On Sunday morning about half -past 7 o'clock a fire broke out in the Supreme Court buildings, which during the past few months have been used as railway offices. The part in occupation was almost wholly burned, the southern wing only escaping uninjured. This wing was to have been occupied aa offices by the accountants' department if, as was at first intended, it had come from Christchurch, but this intention was not carried out. The northern wing of the building was not entirely burned, but it is considerably damaged. It was used by the Railway Telegraph Department, uuder Mr Floyd, and happily some of the early arrivals on the scene were employees in the department, who set about getting out the instruments. This was accomplished successfully, and thus very valuable property was saved. Some of the furniture in the Commissioner's (Mr Conyers) office was also got out, and some ot the books, we believe; but his office Buffered severely. The main portion of the building was divided into offices held by the Commissioner and staff, the locomotive engineer (Mr Armstrong), the resident engineer (Mr Lowe), and assistant engineer (Mr Maltby). These offices were situated principally in the old Courthouse room. This portion is very badly gutted. Mr -Armstrong^ department has, we believe, suffered most severely, every book and scrap of paper about the rooms being wholly destroyed. Thebookß of the resident and assistant engineers' departments had been placed in the strong- room, and were consequently saved. Everything else, however, in connection with their departments ha 3 been destroyed, including many valuable plans. The general loss is of such a character that its value cannot be measured by figures. Recently the whole staff of the various departments had been engaged in getting up estimates, returns, and other information in view of the meeting of Parliament, and the whole of the results are now destroyed. Many of the papers in the ruins are only charred to an extent, and a careful overhaul may enable many of value to be saved. The loss in stationery and^ in printed forms, &c. must be very large, judging by the quantity strewed about the spot. Very little can at present be said regarding the origin of the fire. It is certain that the flames broke out in the centre of the building, and in a room either of the Commissioner's or the locomotive engineer's department. Probably it wa3 in the Commissioner's room, for a couple of the clerks were, we have heard, working there up till 1 o'clock in the morning, and possibly a fire left burning may have caused the whole mischief. In the engineer's room, we believe, no one had been after 4 o'clock the previous afternoon. A statement was going about yesterday that the safe in the Commissioner's room had been found open, and we believe this was true, but in all likelihood the thing was the result of carelessness. Mr Conyers, we may state, is at present in Wellington. The firejwas first discovered by a Gaol warder, and the alarm was quickly given. The Fire Brigade were soon at the scene ; but the building was an old one, and entirely of wood, so that the flames spread rapidly. It waa almost surprising that any of it was saved.