FIRES

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 22

FIRES

At Portobelio on Monday evening, a sixroomed wooden house, owned by Mr J. M. Dickson, M.P., and occupied by Mr Arthur Marshall, was destroyed by fire, only the chimneys being left standing. The house was very old. and burnt fiercely, the willing efforts of neighbours resulting only in some few pieces of furniture being saved. The outbreak started in the neighbourhood of the kitchen range. The house was insured for £250 in the Farmers’ Assurance Company, and the furniture for £230 in the same office. A SHOP GUTTED. WELLINGTON", July 18. On Tuesday afternoon the fire brigade was called upon to quell a slight outbreak in a shop occupied by Mr A. L. Spiers, vnleaniser, and owned by the proprietors of the Artcraft Theatre. Despite the fact of tile presence of a large amount of inflammable material, the fire was suppressed. This evening a second lire occurred. When the brigade arrived the interior of the building was a mass of flames, and black smoke was belching from every window. In an hour’s time the brigade had managed to check the fire and prevent it from spreading, and then succeeded in suppressing it. The whole premises were completely gutted. Mr Spiers says that he was holding a match while doing some work. It burnt, his fingers, and he dropped it on the floor, the vulcanising solution igniting. The insurance amounted to £1025. OUTBREAK IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH. July 18. A fire occurred at 10 o’clock to-night in Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs's large book and stationery establishment in Cashel street. The "seat of the fire, which had a good hold, was at the cash desk in the rear portion of the shop. The brigade made a splendid save. It was impossible to assess the damage to-night, but. the fire brigade superintendent states that the loss by the destruction of the big plateglass and the damage to the stock and fittings will run into hundreds cf pounds. The amount of the insurances could not be ascertained. July 19. The insurances on the Wliilconil c and Tombs premises are:—Building. £27.500; stock. £40.000; furniture and fittings, £3690. No estimate of the damage has yet been made. OUTBREAK IN Sill EL HILL HOTEL The i-vhiel Hill Hotel, which is situated on the Ilighcl iff r oad. near Anderson’s Bay, was partly destroyed by fire on the 20th. The "City Brigade received a call at 9.30 p.m.. and -proceeded at once to the scene of the fire, which had hy the time of its arrival a strong hold of the building. The brigade, working under considerable disadvantage owing to the nearest plug being a considerable distance away, managed to save the southern portion of the building, in which the bar is situated. One thousand feet of hose had to be brought into use. Both the first aid tanks were brought into commission, Out the low-n water supply was not too abundant. Under the circumstances the brigade, which was assisted bv the South Dunedin Brigade, did wonderfully well to effect a save at all. As it w-as. the larger half of the premises was destroyed, and also a large shed adjoining. The contents of the building, which consisted of about 10 rooms, we re saved. The property was recently purchased bv Mr Ferguson, and was occupied by Mr ‘Earle Richardson, who holds the license. It was fully' an hour and a-half before the City Brigade returned to town, leaving the South Dunedin Brigade in charge. llovv the fire originated is not known. The premises and contents are believed to be insured in the Victoria office but for what amount was not ascertainable last evening. In connection with the fire in the Shiel Hill Hotel on Friday night, seven rooms were destroyed and three saved by the efforts of the Fire Brigade. The property was owned by Mr A. Ferguson and occupied by Mr Earle Richardson, the licensee. The wooden portion of the building was insured for £6OO and the brick portion for £4OO. with the National Company. The contents and stock, which were not badly damaged, were insured for £SOO with the 1.0. A.

Not one person in 50 of the present population uses his or her brain to half its full capacity, says a famous scientist. Sixty-three persons were tried for murder, and 13 sentenced to death in 1921 in England. Of these only five were executed. —ln the last six months more than 12.000,000 postal packets had to be surcharged in British post offices, postmen collecting on them nearly £90,000.