FIRES. AUCKLAND, August 21.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 34

FIRES. AUCKLAND, August 21.

A 14-room,ed..house-. in. iP-ar^ street, New-* market, owned and occupied by -Mr Chas.Outhwaite and the blisses jOutn-waite, was: completely destroyed by "fire to-night. The. building was insured in the North-era Union Company for . £400. August 24. A fire occurred in the engine-shed at Onehunga on Sunday morning. The flames were bursting through the roof, but one engine had -enough steam to permit of ii> being driven out, with a second engine in tow, both escaping with very slight damage, though the engine-shed "was gutted. - ' FEILDINGj August 19. The Cheltenham Hotel, owned by E. Riddiford and leased to ~ S. W." R. Evans, was totally destroyed by fire at 2.30 this morning. * The only occupante were Mr Evans and lias wife and child and one boarder, and they had a narrow escape, only getting out with their night-clothes on. The origin of the fire is unknown 1 . The adjoining buildings, including % general store and post office, were savedi with difficulty. Ths building, a large tWostorsy one, was burnt to "the ground in 15 minutes. The insurances a-re not available. Mr, Evaue is 'very well -known in the district as a football referee.' . • CHRTSTCHURCH, August 22. [ A five-roomed hoiise situated in Nor-" wich street, Linwood, .owned by Charles Wilburg and occupied by^Mrs Kerr, was; destroyed by fire last night. The fire^ was caused through a kerosene lamp* being knocked off the mantelpiece. The!" house was insured in the South British* office for £275, and the furniture in the' National- office for £200. OAMARU, August 20. A four-roomed cottage at Maerewhenua, owned by Mrs Evans, of Oamaru, - was • destroyed by fire on Wednesday morning, the only suggestion as to the origin of the fire being that a lamp which was burning low must have exploded. The Commercial Union had a risk of £100 on the building, but the loss is - estimated to considerably exceed this. SERIOUS OUTBREAK AT TEMUKA. TIMARU, August 24.^ Another destructive fire occurred in Teniuka at 2.15 yesterday morning, when four shops were destroyed. Three belonged to Dr Hayes, and the other one- to Mr T. Edwards.* They were all -wooden: buildings. The fire ran through -them very quickly. The origin of the .fire- was a> mystery. Dr Hayes was a heavy loser; He had only £50 insurance on each of his three shops, with the Norwich Union. Mr Edwards was also a heavy loser. His shop was insured for £200 in the Man- ; chaster office. The tenants are aleo all » losers by the fire, their insurances being : ,• W. H." Carl, chemist^ £400 in the, Phoenix; Jacobs, fancy goods, £200 inth«. Standard; C. Vincent, saddler, £100 ia, the South British ; A. Prosser, bcotmaker. . £400 in the State office. The loss to the ; tenants is estimated at £650 in the : aggregate. . '. During the past 18 months 13 business placas have been de&troyed by fire at Temuka. A fire occurred at the workshop of Messrs Eli-sard and M'Ticar at North-East "Valley earU on the 22nd which destrcy-cd the building, plr.nt. and tool=. and tho mm em-nlovd—ei"-ht in number— have ho^n thrown out* of work. A sir-all fire broh" out on the premises a f<r.v days ao;o, and a year. a"-o the bifild.np: ocenpvine th-e same site was burned doun. Plant and stock were insvurd f^r £750 in (hf> Guardian Omoe. Tho" buildin? "a-> own«d by Messrs Calleudcr 'iud "VTLrod contractors, and was insured in the Standard" Office for £300. The insurance will not cover the loss by about £250.