FIRE IN GILL STREET.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 6692, 27 February 1885, Page 2

FIRE IN GILL STREET.

Between half-paßt one' and' two o'clock this morning, the fire-bells out an alarm. The conflagration. cproveti to bo in Gill-street, and the burning building the old Kawa Pa school house. Among the first on the scene, were Constable, Roche, Messrs. Way, Roberts, and. Captain ' Rogers of the Fire Brigade. . Accounts ,as to where the fire originated differ very widely, but all agree that it started ■ on the side nearest the road. According to one gentleman, the fire broke out in the eastern angle of tho building and apparently from beneath , while another says it seemed to have started in two or three different places at once in the front, as the whole of the face of the building was enveloped in flames before the .back took fire. All say, however, that the'ease was hopeless from the first ; and the fire had such a hold that no attempt was made to enter. The Fire Brigade, in strong force ! arrived very quickly after the alarm, but the building was very dry and burnt away like paper. Four jets of water were put on, and the last of the fire was extinguished in; ft very few minutes. The building'fortunately stood by itself, the nearest house being several chains away, so there was really no danger of the fire spreading. A pretty fresh,breeze was blowing from the mountain, and fanned the blaze into a brilliant illumination, which lighted up the whole of the town. - - The centre part of the building was erected for a Maori church about twentyfive years ago, and was very substantially put up. The builder was the "late Mr. G. Robinson. About six years ago a wing was added, at a cost of about £130, and a year later another addition was made at a cost of about £120. The building up to last Juno wus used as a school, and Miss Shaw was the teacher. The pupils were nearly all infants, and most of them were removed to tho West infant school. The building was of three rooms, and in very good condition. It was purchased at a bargain last July by Mr. O. W. Sole for £36, and immediately insured with Mr. H. J, Honeyfield, the agent for the London and Lancashire Office, for £150. Mr. Solo intended to remove the building from the Education reservo on which it stood and, placing it on a section of his own, turn it into a six-roomed house. In the meantime it was used by the Gymnasium Club as a store for their bars, clubs, rings, etc., which were all destroyed. They were valued at ; £12. Mr. Petrie of Mangorei is also said to have had goods in the building. Mr. Sole was unable to shift tho building immediately, as the section to which ho intended to remove it is at present let, and he waß in treaty to lease the old school to Mr. Crawford for a night school.

'Sis,' said a bright Austin youth to Ills bibter, who was putting the finishing touches on her coiffure, 'you ought to marry a burglar.' What do you mean by biich nonsense ?' 1 mean that you and a burglar would get along very well together; you have yot the false locks and ho has got the false koya.'