FIRES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 25

FIRES.

HASTINGS, February 26. Manor Boarding-house, consisting of 28 rooms, owned by Mr W. H. Compton, and occupied by. Messrs Murray and Spalding, was totally destroyed by fire at 1 o'clock this morning. Nothing was saved, all the occupants escaping in scanty apparel. Insurances: On the building, £750 in the State office; on the furniture, £'iOo in the Northern office. The building was a wooden one, erected 22 years ago. WANGANUI, March 3. A fire at 5 o'clock this morning gutted the offices of J. Annabel!, surveyor, destroying. 30 years' plans and records. Water flooded the offices of William Hall, accountant, and secretary of the jockey club, considerably damaging the books and stationery. Water also damaged the stock of paper in Cobb and Irwin's, next door. Annabell was not insured, but Hall had insurances of £IOO in the New Zealand office. The other insurances are 7iot obtainable. BLENHEIM, March 4. The Royal Hotel, 27 rooms, owned by A. 0. Kennedy, of Wellington, and leased to Robert Cann, was totally destroyed by fire on Saturday night. The fire started in an upstairs bedroom. It was an old building, and burned fiercely. Insurances: Oft the building—£4oo in the National and £IOOO in the London and Liverpool. The _ furninituro and effects were insured in the National, North British, and Sun offices. SERIOUS OUTBREAK AT GORE. GORE, March 1. A most disastrous fire occurred at 7 o'clock to-day. Fleming and Company's extensive cereal mills were almost completely gutted. The damage will run well into five figures. The fire was first noticed in the oatmeal department, and spread with astonishing rapidity through the Croamoata works, store department, and oatmeal department, and then spread to the third floor. In 25 minutes the flames were through the roof on the fourth floor. Falling beams and maohinery rapidly -carried the flames to the basement. The south end of the building was partially saved, including the offices. Tho two floors above were mostly used for the storage of flour, for making which the firm was carrying very heavy stocks of raw material. Tho fire occurred at the worst time of the year, the season's contracts just havinsr been completed. The brigades did splendid work, but were hampered in coping with the outbreak owing to a somewhat poor pressure. The insurances are in the New Zealand Office, but are unavailable yet. ' Tho fire was still burning at' 9.30. but was well in hand. - Thirty-five hands are rendered idle. * GORE. March 2. Tha damage to Flonr'ng and Co.'s cereal mills is not quite so serious as was believed yesterday. The central portion was completely gutted, but the northern portion, consisting of the silo, is intact but for the roof. The southorn block lost onlv the roof, and the fourth floor and flourmill are intact. It is expected that milling operations wdl bp resumed within a few wer^ks. The insurances totil SIS.fiOO in the New Zealand Offic<\ of which £9305 is reinsured in various offices. FLAXMILL HE^TPOYED. FOXTON. March 1. Saunders's flax-mill, at Moutoa, was totally destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon. The loss is estimated at between £6OO and £BOO.