SERIOUS FJRE AT CHRISTCHURCH. CANVASTOWN ATHLETIC SPORTS

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12754, 29 March 1910, Page 2

SERIOUS FJRE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

CANVASTOWN ATHLETIC SPORTS

SHOPS 'IN - MANCHESTER. STREET .: y7y_y DESTROYED. j 7'[TJSrrEii' Press Association.] • Christchurch, March 28. A serious fire,occurred after midnight in a rowbf shopsyin-Manches- ; tier street. Tlie: top- floor throughout the building was occupied by Messrs Bunting and Co., brush makers. The five shops' oh the lower floor were occupied by Dollan (bootmaker),Rolland (hairdresser), McPhail and. Fisher (leather." merohants); and two. tearooms. - jVtessrs Blurting and €>>. also had a building at the. back of the ; ahopS. When the alarm was given, a poiftion of the front building was ablaze j the-Fire Brigade consequently •.had 1 the utmost -difficulty in dealing with the outbreak." ■-'•■•' The flames -spread rapidly to both floors. The new high pressure water •supply gave a plentiful provision, but the contents of the shops and the brush factory were highly inflammable. It was after two o'clock before tho fire was in hand. The Trocadero Private Hotel at one time was threatened, and Scott Morgan's motor works were also.in danger. Messrs Bunting and Co. owned the building and factory,- which were valued at £4500*; The stock in the factory was valued at £7000. Particulars of., the other insurances are not availablo. Mr Bunting says that no.one had been in his factory since Thursday, aiid he is unable to account for the fire.. An outbreak of fire occurred in the same block at Easter in 1907. ' Later. The Buntings' block of buildings wore practically destroyed. They were insured in the South ~ British for £2700. The contents of the brush factory ivere insured for £2700 in the New Zealand office, £1800 in the Commercial Union, £600 in the National, £425 in tho Australian Alliance,- £425 in ithe United, and £375. in the Standard. McPhail and Fisher .were insured in the-National 6ffice7for^£2so.;

Tho above sports took place on Saturday, tho weather being perfect, but the attendance was only moderate. Tho foot races were hotly contested, and the finishes in the 220 yards and quarter mile were very close, the placed men being' only a few inches from each other. J. H. Pnddle, of Blenheim, secured both these events, and W. Terrell won the half mile from scratch rather easily. The following aro the results of the prmcipal events: — : Maiden Race, 100 yards: W. Campbell Ij J. B. Read 2. Eipht started. Pelorus Handicap, 220 yards: J. H. Priddle, 14yds, 1 • A.. Draper, 14yds, 2; E. Karsten, 7yds 3. Fourteen started. . K. 440 yards Handicap: J. H. Pnddle, 24yds, 1; E. Karsten, 12yds, 2; W. Terrell scr, 3. Eleven started. 880 yards: W. Terrell, scr, 1; H. L. Ewarti 20yds, 2- H. O'Donoghue, 35 yds, 3. ■'.-■*. Tilting at the Ring: Bruce Anderson 1, H. Wells 2. Ten entries. Consolation, 100 yards: J. Mclntyre 2yds, 1; J. Strickland, 3vds, 2; E. I Karsten, scr, 3. Won by six inches.