FIRE AT GREENFIELD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2654, 25 January 1905, Page 14

FIRE AT GREENFIELD.

A distinctive fire broke out at Greenfield jjbout haif-past 10 p!m. on Friday, the 13tb, "'- resulting in"""- the total destruction of' the ' woolshed and Wolseley shearing machinery, besides 50 or 60 bales of wool and 160 ewes belonging to Mr Brown, of Tuapeka Mouih. The station sheep had been "cut out" that d.vv, and. being the last shearing of the Gr'ionfieid Estate proper, Mr John Smith spent an hour or so with the men in the phed talking ovex- bygone deiyS; and recounting some of his experiences on his recent trip rovnri the world. The gathering broke «rp shortly before 10 o'clock, and the men *>erp in i.2^] in thp'-* "uailors fcoaic distance

' away for about half an horn*, when they were aroused by the noise of the fire. They immediately rusiied over to the shed, and ' made a desperate effort to save Mr Brown's sheep, but they were driven back by the flames, which had a strong hold. They succeeded in pulling out the emgine whioh drove *he Wolseley machines in another portion of the budding, and in removing: from- tiie pens adjoining the lambs belonging to Mr Brown's ewes, which had been placed in the shed overnight in readiness for shearing in the morning. The origin of the fire is a mystery, but the theory that finds most favour is that the building was struck by ligihtning, of vyluch tfcere was a great deal that niffht.

The building was a splendidly-equipped one, and had accommodation for 1200 or 1300 sheep and 16 shearers and Wolseley machines. The shed was on the portion of the property retained by the Smiths when the estate was acquired by the Government. The Standard Insurance Company had a risk of £900 on the building, and so far as is known this was the only covering. Mr Brown will, however, be a heavy loser by the fire, his ewes being, of course, uninsured.

An unsuccessful attempt was made to pass a gilded sixpence as a half-sovereign at His Majesty's Theatre, Wellington^ on. Mgnday evening