FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 40, 23 February 1901, Page 2

FIRES.

RYTENSIVE OUTBREAK AT FIELDING, [FEB PRESS ASSOOrATIOK. Feildiko, February 12.

At midnight a disss'rous fire broke out in a block of business premises occupied by the Now Zaalind Olot.hing Factory, M. Law (grocer), F. Butler (hoot store), Whitelflw (saddler), A Williamson (tailor), G. W Fewles (watchmaker), and W. E. Grantham (refreshment rooms). The e were woodan buildings, aud were all desD i yed. The first four shops were ecu pied by Mr. J. Hugli, Williamson owning tho one occupied by himself, and Fowles tho other, a two-storied bui'ding. A brick building owned and occupied by E. Goobehfre and H. Mortensen (jeweller) was gutted. Woolam's chemist's shop, also of brick, was damaged, but the fire was here checked.

The fire broke out at. the back of FowW shop, pppirsntly outside. With the dxepption of Grantham's, Fowles', and Williamson's, most of the stock was rimoved from the shops, but a great deal was damaged in removal. The fact that two incipient fires have occurrfd, but which were suppressed before any damage was done, within the last month at the rear of the block lends colour to the suspicion that t\ie fire is the work of an incendiary. Grauthini q,nd his family lived on the premises, and barely escaped with their lives in soaut clothing.

It is the most disastrous fire that h»s ever occurred here, being one of the principal blocks of busiaeas premises.

Insurances: E. Good beh ere, £SOO ia Commercial Union on building, nothing on chattels ; H. J. Whittlaw, £l5O iu National on Btock, loss above that ahou'. .£IOO ; H. Mortensen, £3OO on »tock in National, loss above that about £300; Marshall Law, 4J150 on stock in Commercial Union; Williamson, sfaok, £3OO in Royal, £250 in Norwich Union, £l5O in Phoenix; building, £250 in Standard, considerable loser; Butler, £IOO in'Ph^oix; aWe this £300; Fowles, £4OO on building, £IOO on stock in the New Zealand; NZ. Clothing Factory and Woollams' insurances not ascertainable; Hugh's building, £7OO in Phoenix, loss £I3OO above that. Later. Insurant: Woollams, £4OO on building in the Imperial, £450 and £SOO on the stock in the Imperial and Standard respectively. It is estimated ths total d&mgg* exc 9 n\ maoo,

FIRS AT HAWBRA. FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION. Hawera, February 22. A fire broke out at midnight in the centra of the basin sss portion of the town, but af:er an hour's work was got Under. It ttuted in a large shod behind s, vsrnl shops facing and Regent streets. The sfeojiSf wire mainly old, pd Iciaked at one time as if there would be great difficulty iu saving them. Fortunately tho new water , supply s'.ood the first deman l on it, J a sp'endid pressure was se'iwcU '1 he Rhop of Hftiw&h and Co. (I'eoti*\svk' w) w'aa slightly damaged by fire; puxft. Id's, saddler, was also damaged as was Robinson's, plumber, and the West Coast Farmers' Trading Associa' ion's mart. Brunette, jeweller, though escaping fire and water lost considerably, his shop bang broken open and things carried off, some to a place of safety a,r.di others in tho pockets of individuals, DueftfieJil'g fortune", GunpillVa, Paterson's, Miluer and Party 1 !", and Hannah and Co.'s stocks were got out »nd the lo?ain those qunrtir» will not be heavy. Tho auction raark stock was damaged a good deal by ! uafc r.

The i' s iranoea and estimate of losse are not y. t available.