HOMESTEAD DESTROYED.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1053, 27 June 1917, Page 2

HOMESTEAD DESTROYED.

SIR WALTER BUCHANAN'S HEAVY LOSS. Press Association. CARTERTON, Juno 2G. The outbreak of fire at Tupurupuru is ,i complete mystery. Sir Walter was the last to retire, at 10.30, and left everything apparently safe. Mr Potts, the manager, was awakened approximately at 1.30 by crackling, and investigated. He found fire between the floor upstairs and the ceiling of the ground floor, quite a way from any chimney. He alaymed the household. Fire hoses were immediately got to work, but efforts were unavailing. The homestead was built 40 years n<ro. Recently it was tested and found perfectly sound. It was of two stories and contained IS rooms, splendidly furnished. The insurance on the house and furniture amounts to £750 in the Farmers' Union Mutual Insurance Company. Sir Walter estimates his loss as at least £3OOO over this. The inmates lost everything. _________„,