DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 610, 27 January 1879, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Napier, This Day. The Konini Hotel was completely destroyed by fire on Saturday morning, between 9 and 10 o'clock. The only persons on the premises at the time were Mr. O'Briens's brother, the ser-vant-man and wife, and two men who had been boarding at the Hotel for two or three months. Mr. and Mrs O'Brien were in Napier when the fire occurred. The actual origin of the fire is unknown ; but it is supposed that the shingle roof of the hotel was ignited by sparks from the kitchen chimney. The house and contents were insured for £1000, of which £500 was in the Standard, and £500 in the Union. The chief Karaitiana continues in about the same condition. Very little improvement if any being apparent. He was visited last Thursday by the chiefs Tareha and Maihana and to them he expressed himself much dissatisfied with having Mr. Knight in surveillance upon him, and requested to have some one else instead. I am not aware whether steps were taken to carry out Karaitiana's wishes, but learn that a telegraphic message has been received from a gentleman in the province insisting upon Knight continuing to have care of Karaitiana, and intimating if any attempts were made to displace Knight the services of the police would be put into requisition to prevent it. Without offering any opinion as to propriety or otherwise of Knight having care of Karaitiana 1 must say that it would be well if matters were settled in a proper way, by an order of the Supreme Court, and thus remove the ground for many rumors that are afloat on the subject.