THE MANSE STREET FIRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 15

THE MANSE STREET FIRE.

LOSSES SUSTAINED. The heaviest loss by the fire on the 11th inet. in the four-storey building in Manse o treat was sustained by Mr Brown, the owner of the main building destroyed. The value of the building may he set down at £4OOO, and in addition there was a loss of about £l5O in the way of internal fittings, etc., making a. total of £4150. Mr Dickison, proprietor of the Central Dining Rooms, estimates his actual loss at about £IBOO. The damage to the building is put down as £IOOO, and to the contents at between £7OO and £BOO. Added to this is, of course, a very serious loss of business. Mr Fred. R. Patsccn, travelling representative for Messrs Thomas Do La Rue and Co. (Ltd.), London, leather and fancy goods merchants, and for Williams (Birmingham), Ltd., silversmiths, Birmingham and London, is :a- heavy loser. Mr Ralston carried a stock on behalf of Williams (Birmingham), Ltd., worth £1350, and in addition to actual less of goods has to face a serious loss of business that will follow. He has just arrived here, and was about to commence a tour of New Zealand and Australia. As the whole of his stock has been destroyed, he lias been placed in a most unfortunate position, and will lose seriously in the way of trade. Air Ralston was not aware that such a sweeping lire had taken place until about 9 o’clock in the morning. Ho had gone to arrange-with a customer to call round to his rooms to inspect some samples, and it was only then that he was informed that nothing but the walls of the building remained. The stock carried on behalf of Messrs De La Rue and Co. amounted to £l5O, making a total of £ISOO. Stock valued at £BOO was landed here only four days ago. Messrs C. M. Howison and Son, who occupied about half of the ground floor and a like portion of "the basement, and were carrying heavy stocks of engineers’ supplies, etc., find it a difficult matter to make an estimate of their loss, but it will probably run into between £IBOO and £2OOO. Messrs Rowley and Keast estimate their loss at, say, £4OO. Messrs Ross and Glonclining place the extent of tiro damage sustained to their hat factory by fire and water at £2OO. Mr 11. S. Steele, representing several English softgoods firms, had 25 cases of samples destroyed. His loss may be estimated at about £7OO. Messrs J. B. Mac Ewan and Co. had a large quantity of dairying and other machinery stored in the building. The value of the stock lost was about £550. ■ Mr R. Foster, representing Roberts and, Co., had a stock destroyed which may bo set down as exceeding £I6OO in value. Messrs T. Fairbairn and Co., importers and manufacturers’ agents, lost a stock of Japanese and Eastern goods to the value of about £l3O. Mr J. A. Fothergill lost a. stock of softgoods to the value of about £3OO. He was not insured. Mr S. P. Martin, soft-goods agent, also lost his stock, which was situated on the top floor. . . The dam ago to th-e Princess Theatre is estimated at £2OO. , The New Zealand Express Company s loss is not a serious one, probably running into about £2OO or £3OO, in the way of fittings, fixtures, etc. There were also various odd samples stored in the basement —all, of course, being destroyed. The owners of these aie Messrs Charles Mackay. James Caffin, I'. A. Powell, and W. E. Lane. Messrs Reynolds and Kmvig, softgoods agents, were also tenants of the building Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co. sustained a little damage by water in their omce to the extent of about £5. THE INSURANCES. Mr Thomas Brown.—On the main buildCompany, and £l5O on the fittings, etc., in the Liverpool ar\d London and Liodc office;—total. £2650. r . , Mr Dickison, proprietor of Lw. lyennai Dining Rooms —on the building, £ooo m the Phoenix Company and £SOO in the Norwich Union Company; on the furniture and contents, £3OO i n the Commercial Union Company ; —total, £I3OO. Messrs O. M. Howison and Son—on stock, £llOO in the Royal Insurance ComP New Zealand Express Company—on the fittings, £IOO in the New Zealand insurance Company. . , Messrs T. Fairbairn and Co. —on stock, £l3O~ in the Royal Insurance Company. Messrs Ross and Glendining, whose loss is sot down at £2OO. are fully insured. Messrs Powtev and Keast have a. nominal insurance of £3O in the New Zealand Insurance Company over their stOv.lv ot R. Ralston, whose losses amount to £ISOO on the part of firms stated, has his stock covered by insurance at Dome. Mr R. Steele (representing Home firms), whose loss is estimated at about *7OO, is covered by a floating policy. Messrs J. B. Mac Ewan and Co—on stock, £450 in the London and Lancashire Comp?.nj • •II T) * The damage sustained to Rnnoeete Theatre is covered _by insurance m the Alliance and Victoria offices. Mr Robert Foster, representative ot Roberts (Limited), had his stock covered by ££oo in the Commercial Union Company and £7OO in the Alliance Assurance.