FIRES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2849, 21 October 1908, Page 29

FIRES.

WANGANUI, October 16. A fire was discovered at the District High School at 2.45 this morning. It had a strong hold of the western wing, •which was completely destroyed, and spread to the. central portion. It looked at one time as if the whole building were doomed. The fire brigade, however, coped successfully with the fire, and though the central part was burnt out it managed to save the eastern 'wing of three rooms., intact. The Education Board held an insurance of £700 in the United ; on the portion destroyed, -but the loss , is considerably more than £1000 above j the insurance. Immediate steps will be , taken towards a reinstatement in brick, ; and in the meantime arrangements have been made for the temporary accommodation for the 300 scholars of the burntout rooms. The building, a wood one, was erected in 1878. I WELLINGTON, October 16. As a result of an outbreak of fire a bicycle shop on -Xambton quay, occupied by Matterson and Fitzgerald, was gutted this morning. The stock was insured for £600. ASHBURTON, October 19. A wooden block of shops, 26 years old, at Tinwald, owned by James GudseU, and in which, was carried on a- butchery, bakery, draper}-, grocery, and ironmongery business, was totally destroyed by fire last night. The place was locked up on Saturday night, and, as far as is known, no ona was there till the fire was diecovered by Mr Baker, who wes at work at the rear of the premises. The fire had a big hold when discovered, and with the exception of a few tools everything was destroyed. Tha contents of the safe, included the deeds, books, and money, were charred, and made practically unrecognisable. The stock was insured for, £500 in the Royal, a similar &urn covering J th^ building in the earn* office. Mr Gxid- [ sail was absent in Christchurch. His loss i> estimated at considerably above the insurance. TIMARU, October 15. Ihe drapery establishment of T. and J. Thomson was completely gutted by fire this morning. Thfi building was a twostdrey one. The- fire was discovered in ' the main shop about 5.30. It had th r n a strong hold on the contents. This portion, with the adjoining showroom, was completely destroyed, while the stock- and scwin<; machines in the upper rooms were also burned. The men's tailoring and drapery department was not^ greatly damaged by the fire, but the smoke and water practically ruined the stock. The building, which is"~a sußstantial one of ' brick, "with brick partitions, was unharmed, with *the -exception of the roof , at the rear. ' A very heavy stock was cariied, Estimated at £12,000. JThe- in- j surances are £6500, divided among the j National, Standard, Victoria, New Zea- J land, Royal, North British, Royal Ex- j charge, and North Queensland. The ' br. ; ]ci.Jig, which is the property of the i firm, was insured for £2500 in the Standard, National, and New Zealand. SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM. .CHRISTCHURCH, October 17. Another unoccupied dwelling at Rangiora was set on fire last night, and by the time the fire brigade got water on the interior of the house was ruined and part of the outer walls destroyed. The outbreak occurred about 11 o'clock, and an explosion of gas drew attention to it, the meter no doubt being turned on. The fire had then a strong hold of the interior, showing that it had been started from within. The house — a well-built sixroomed one in Vicioria street, next to the Drill Hall— belonged to the estate of the late Mr John Donovan, and it was valued afc £450. It had been untenanted for a fortnight. There was an insurance in the Commercial Union office, but the amount was not ascertainable. The frequency of incerfdiary files in unoccupied houses in Rangiora- of iaie is becoming r a serious matter, andi the police have been unable to attach suspicion \o anyone. At one time old and isolated buildings only were bet me to, but the incendiary seems to" now be turning his attention to better ch6s pWces in the closely-populated parttf, and a serious conflagration may yet result. A five-roomed , dwelling in Cargill road, South Dunedin, was partly destroyed by fire on the 15th instant. The house was own-eci I>y Mrs S. Hutehings, and was ojc-upied by 3lrs J. Al'Cormack. The damaged building and another at the rear j wove insured in the Standard Office for £550. Mis M'C'ormack"& furniture was covcicd by £150 in the South British , Office. At Green Island on Tuesday, as the result of an imipient fire, believed to b^ due to a defective chimney, the house of James Martin was damaged to the extent of £5, the wall of the kitchen being charred and burnt. Mr Martin is insured in the Alliance office for £200. A fcix-roomed house occupied by Mr Wjlliam Wairon, and situated in King .street, wad totally destroyed by fire about, 2 o'clock on Sunday morning. Mr Warren and his family retired to bod about 10 o'clock on Saturday night, and some four home later Mr Warren's son was awakened by finding his bedroom full of smoke, and, getting quickly out of bed, discovered that the house was on fire. He at once called his father and the rest of the family, and all made their escape from the burning building. There was no time to gave any of the*- furniture. The- opinion, is that the fire originated from a small fire left burning in the sitting room.- The -house was owned by Messrs Speight and Co., and whether it was covered by insurance is not known. Mr Warren's furniture was insured in the New Zealand office for £200, which is below it 6 value. The house was valued at between £300 and £400. A fire broke out in King Edward 1 street, South Dunedin, shortly before 1 a.ni. on Sunday in the sausage-house connected with Mr R. S. Howaidi's butchery estab- [

liGhment. Mr Howard visited the pla<v< about 11 o'clock on Saturday night with the object of ascertaining how some ren-dering-down of fat was progressing, and put sacks over the Jboiler to keep the steam in. Apparently" the fat boiled over after he left the room, and caused the place to take fire. The South Dunedin Brigade, on 'being notified, arrived very smartly, and had little difficulty in getting the fire out, the damage being estimated at £2ft' The- buildring was not insured.