SERIOUS FIRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 13 May 1887, Page 11

SERIOUS FIRE.

The parsonage attached to All Saints' Church in'Cuinberland street, immediately opposite the Northern Recreation Reserve, was destroyed by fire on Sunday night. The fire was discovered about 7 o'clock, and in about an hour it was under control. While the first lesson was being read Mr J. M. Ritchie noticed a smell of fire inside the church and went into the vestry. He saw nothing there, but he then went outside aud found that the parsonage was on fire. He got a boy to run to the fire-alarm, which proved to be already broken. Mr Ritchie immediately returned to the church and went up to the reading desk to inform the Rev. Mr Fitchett. A good deal of smoke had penetrated into the church by this time, and the people at once left the building, the first impression being that the schoolhouse was on fire. The church bell was vigorously rung. The King street hose, drawn by manual labour, was, in consequence of its proximity, first on the scene. It was followed very clo&eiy, however, by the City Brigade and Salvage Corps. The fire at this time had obtained a strong internal hold, principally at the back of the building, but it did not burn very rapidly on account of the stability of the structure. The slate roof held out a long time, but eventually dropped piecemeal, and the fire then acquired additional fury. At this stage it looked dangerous for the school, which was only a few yards off and built of wood, a few yards farther away being the church, built of brick. The brigade, however, stuck to their work with commendable energy, and though they could not stop the destruction of the house they got such a command over the flames as prevented any danger to the adjoining schoolhouse and church. Their work was rendered all the more difficult by the very strong wind which blew in the direction to carry the fire to the adjacent buildings. The front end walls of the house were left standing, but all that remains is in a state of utter dilapidation. The loss will be considerable," as very little of what was in the house was saved. Happily no lives were endangered, as there was no one in the building at the time, the Fey. Mr Fitchett and all his household being at church. The fire is supposed to have originated in the children's playroom, where a fire was left burning. The house contained about 17 rooms, and was two storeys high. The Rev. Mr Fitchefct had his furniture and effects insured in the Standard office for £500,| but he; will lose considerably over this, as he had a very valuable library. The building is said to be insured in the National Office for £1500.

A LEADING EDITOR'S " LEADER." _ Melbourne, March 80, 1886 —Some time since, after over twenty years of a newspaper employment, the hitter decade of which term has been spent in the work of sedentary character, I discovered that constant sitting, want of exercise, night work, and at times irregularity of meal- 1 , vml- developing most unplea.->»i.> symptoms of ilmess. It needed very little medical knowledge to convince that the trouble arose from the liver and the kidneys, and with a wholesome regard for the American notion that up to 35 years of a man is engaged in breaking down these organs, and for the .next thirtyfive of his alloted span in arranging for their repair, I determined to grapple with the disease in its incipient stages. I have not had much faith in proprietary medicines hitherto, although the constant testimony to the value of some ofsuch remedies places them beyond doubt and criticism. I intended to seek medical advice, when the question was asked by a fellow pressman, " Why not try Warner's Safe Cure ? has tried it, and believes it is doing him a great deal of good." Acting from motives of curiosity i obtained some of the Safe Cure, and find the merits of the remedy not a whit overrated. It speedily relieved me of the unpleasant symptoms of disease which had become apparent. It remedied the Dyspepsia to which) I was at timea a victim, gave me a better appetite, and has generally increased my enjoyment of living and pleasure in work. The medicine, judging by its effect upon myself, is a most valuable one, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to the numerous class in Australia, of those who, from various causes, suffer from liver and kidney complaints. —G. A. Bicknell, Daily Telegraph, Melbourne.