DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Colonist, Volume XXXII, Issue 5406, 28 December 1888, Page 4

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN CHRISTCHURCH.

INSUBANCE, £30,100; L 099, £14,150.

Cbristchurch, December 1.

At 130 a.m. to-day a large fire was reported at the Belfast Freezing Works. .It commenoed in the storeroom where carcases are placed read/ for shipment; The walls are of double wood, 15 inches apart, filled in with charcoal, hence the firs raged quickly. The large building wag totally destroyed, and 4500 oaroases therein damaged. The Christchurch Brigade's steam engine was sent by road, and the Bail way Brigade'! engine wai forwarded by special, trail, and greatly assisted in reducing the loss by saving the machine bouse and valuable refrigerating appliances. Eighty . hands — butchers, freezers, and machinists—are temporarily thrown out of work, but the Company purpose rebuilding at onoe to complete contracts in hand. , Tke total insurances on the building, plant, and stock, are: Colonial, £1000; Equitable, £750; Guardian Assurance, £2000; Imperial Insurance, £1500; Liverpool, London, and Globs, £2000; London and Lancashire, £2500; National, £1500; New Zealand, £2500; North British and Mercantile, £1000; Norwich Union, £2000; North German, £2000; Phoenix, £2000; Royal, £1150; South British, £2300, Standard, £1000; Sun, £1500; Union, £1900; and Victoria, £500. Total, £30,100; of which the loss i» ;hna distributed: New Zealand, £1250; North British, £1250; London, Liverpool* and Globe, £1500; London and Lancashire, £1250; Standard, Phoenix, Sun, North German, National, Imperial, £750 eaoh; Unioa, £1000; Guardian, £1000; Victorian, £300; Royal. Equitable, Colonial, Norwich Union, and South British, £500 eaob. Total' £14,500. The fire was extinguished by nine o'clock, aereraljelays of firemen having been sea?. . , . ,-■ ,

Death op an Old Sbttleb.—On Deo. 6th, there passed; away, at the good old age of 81, another of the pi#neen of the Colony. The late Mr William Paynter was, perhaps, better known in the Taranaki Province than in Nelson. He was a native of Devonshire, England, and. left the Old Country in tke. ship Amelia Thompson in the year 1811, for the first-named Province. He arrived in Taranaki when it was scarcely known by white people, and bore his full share of the hardships and trials of the early days. On the outbreak of tke Native troubles he took active service against the Maoris, and in 1863 he came to Nelson, where he has resided ever since. The deceased was respected by all who knew him as a conscientious man. V

Tbs following is the Customs'. revenue collected at the Port of Nelson during the month of November, 1888 : — ■"£'. b. d» Spirits .. .. :.. 6178 0 6 Tobacco;Cigars,<fcc. ... 810 18 8 Wine.-. .. .. ..■•• 96 17 2 Beer, ia bottle .. .. 61 19 0 Tea .. -•'..' •• .. 1.80 14 .6 Coffee., .. .. .. 18 10 0 1 Sogar,. '*-.. .. .. 549 14 6 .■I Opiutti 212 6 Goods by weight ...■• .. 844 3 6 Goods, ad valorem .. . .. 619 14 1 Other Duties not specified .; above ■;.:.;.■ ;v■■>•: '•• 626 -8' 7■■'• Total ;. -.-i £9992 11 0 Beer Duty.. .... ; 112 711 Gold Duty.. .. «■23 40, Primage .. .. .. Wj 6 0