FIRES

Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 38

FIRES

OUTBREAK IN MARGARINE FACTORY. AUCKLAND, March 13. Extensive damage, estimated at not less than £BOOO, was done to-night by a fire in the margarine factory of Messrs Abel, Ltd., in Carlton Gore road, Newmarket. One building was completely gutted, but the others were not damaged. Thirty vats containing 16001 b of margarine were destroyed, and also 700 boxes of margarine ready for shipment. The insurance is between £lO,OOO and £15,000 in the New Zealand Insurance Company.

March 14. Jbe insurance on the Abels, Ltd., margarine factory, damaged by fire last night, was £22,100 in the New Zealand Insurance Company, including £5lOO on the buildings and £17,000 on the machinery, stock, and plant. Machinery valued at over £30,000 was destroyed, also vats containing 16001 b of margarine and 700 box of margarine ready foi shipment. If was a most spectacular blaze, with an element of great danger, which was averted by the plucky action of a fireman who r-ked out the fire from under a boiler, working at very high pressure owing to the heat.

TWENTY-ROOMED RESIDENCE DESTROYED. CARTERTON, March 15. The residence of Mr XV'. E. Bidwill, " Kototawai,” Featherston, was totally destroyed by fire last night. Mr and Mrs Bidwill were both in Wellington, and the servants were out for the evening, there being no one at home when the fire occurred. The house was one of 20 rooms, and Mr Bidwill will be a heavy loser. His valuable racing trophies and records were completely destroyed, only the Awapum Gold Cup, won by Suggestion in 1925, and tile Wellington Racing Club Gold Plate, won by Repudiation, in 1914, being saved, in addition to a photograph of Elevation, which Mr Bidwill valued highly. The origin of the fire is unknown. The insurances are not available. TWO SHOPS DESTROYED. AUCKLAND, March 16. Two shops in Papakura, owned by Robert Bradbury, one unoccupied and the other used as a drapery store, were completely gutted by fire at 3 o’clock this morning. BLAZE IN BUSINESS BLOCK. PALMERSTON N„ March 16. Fire this evening badly gutted a twostoreyed building in The Square, owned by the Childes Estate, and occupied by A. C. Bradfield, florist, F. Grover, pram manufacturer. Mis s Emmett, music teacher, and Leary’s Pharmacy, on the one side, and E. Holbrook, grocer, on the other. The premises were drenched with water, and the losses will be heavy, but the exact damage is not yet known. All the stocks are covered by insurance. HOTEL AND POST OFFICE DESTROYED. NAPIER, March 18. The total destruction by fire of two very old wooden buildings at Puket-apu, about nine miles from Napier, occurred in the early hours of this morning, the build ings being the Puketapu Hotel and store and post ofiice. The fire had its origin in the kitchen of the hotel, and rapidly spread from one building to another Owing to the absence of water the spectators could do nothing to extinguish the blaze. As the district had had its annual sports meeting on the previous dav the hotel had more than the usual number of boarders, and these made their escape with practically nothing but their night attire. The hotel was owned by Mr J. Vigor Brown, and was insured for £llOO and the stock and furniture for £650. The insurances on the shop are not at present available.