FIRES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3854, 24 January 1928, Page 48

FIRES.

LIVERY STABLES DESTROYED. QUEENSTOWN, January 17. At 2 o clock this morning Messrs Indor and Davis’s liv.ery and bait stables were desroyed by fire. When the outbreak was discovered it had a good hold of the building, a largo wooden one, and the brigadesmen were fighting it for upwards of an hour before they got the flames in check. For a time grave fears were entertained lest M‘Bride’» Hotel, close by, should become endangered, but by good fortune a very light breeze carried the flames and sparks in the opposite direction.

There were no horses in the building as the animals had been placed in a paddock for the night. All the vehicles were in a. shelter adjoining the stables, and they were removed to a place of safety by willing hands. The whole of the harness, however, and 10 tons o( chaff, 80 bags of oats, and a quantity of straw and sundries were destroyed. The origin of the fire is a mystery, as neither of the principals nor their employees were on the premises after 10 p.m. The building was the property of Mrs J. C. M'Bride, who is also the owner of M‘Bride’s Hotel. It was insured in the Victoria office for £l5O. Messrs Inder and Davis were not covered at all, and hence their loss is a heavy one. Moreover, the destruction of their stables in the height of the tourist season will still further embarrass them.

The brigade rendered good service, and though the town water supply has become somewhat depleted by the prolonged spell of hot dry weather, it proved adequate for tho requirements "of the emergency. Thanks to the measures taken by the Borough Council to conserve the supply, the dam was full to overflowing when the heavy draw was made upon it last night, and this morning it had recovered its level again for the day’s needs. RESIDENCE BURNED DOWN. AUCKLAND, January 17. A six-roomed house at Penrose, owned by K. J. M'Kinnon, was destroyed by fire at 4.30 this morr/ig. He had just time t-o arouse his wife and two children to enable them to escape in their night attire. The house was insured for £6OO. FOUR BUILDINGS DESTROYED. PAHIATUA, January 18. A fire yesterday afternoon destroyed a box factory, two cottages, and the Mangamutu Post Office, which were all adjacent. The outbreak started in the factory, which, with its contents, was totallydestroyed. Helpers managed to rescue aft. the contents from the cottages, as well as the mails and the safe, etc., from the Post Office. No water was available. All the buildings were owned by Mr D. Fraser. The full insurances are not avail- 1 able, but the following are known to ba in the New Zealand office:—Box factory, part of machinery, £495 five-roomed cottage, £240; four-roomed cottage, £220 ; Post Office of two roomes, £lOO.

TWO-STOREYED HOTEL DESTROYED. DARGAVILLE, January 19. At 4 o’clock this morning the Tokatoka Hotel, a two-storeyed building and ona of the oldest landmarks in the district, was, with the u MXole of the contents, totally destro, by fire. It was occupied by Mr / 1 /.lorton, who with h i family just 1 ime to escape in their sleeping attire. The only thing saved was the cash box. The building was owned by an Auckland brewery firm, and the amount of the insurance is not known.

RAILWAY HOUSE DESTROYED. OHAKUNE. January 19. The railway house at Rangataua was completely gutted this morning. Mr Mills and family escaped in their night attire, saving nothing.

FIVE-ROOMED HOUSE DESTROYED. AUCKLAND, January 19. A five-roomed house, owned by Mr S. Bercich, at Penrose, was destroyed last night through a gorse fire.

SAWMILLING MACHINERY DE- | STROYED. |

GISBORNE, January 22. Early this morning a fire broke' out in Cave Bros.’ timber yards, and before it was quelled the machinery shop and tha boiler house had been destroyed, and a large number of modern saw benches, planing mills, and moulding machines practically ruined. Fortunately there was no wind, or large stacks of timber would have gone. The buildings were insured in the South British office, but tha amounts are not ascertainable.