DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3511, 30 December 1885, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

During the Inst few dajs reports of fires of a'more or less destructive nature have reached ue from various parts of tbe colony, and it would appear that the end has not vet come. This morning we publish another long list. Though rain was recently reported to hare fallen m various parts of the colony, it does not seem to have been productive of any lusting benelit, and boUi m town and country there appears to be a great want of moisture. The Cave Hotel, sta les and blacksmith's 6hop adjoining, were totally destroyed by Cre about 1.30 yesterday morning. The fire is supposed to have originated -how is a mystery — m tho room occupied by a man named P. Burns, a shearer, who had a narrow escape of being burnt m his bed. To save his life, ho had to jump out of the bed-room window, and m doing so he sustained such serious injuries (o liis hip and the right side of his body that Constable Stanley, of Pleasant Point, deemed it Bdvisible to bring him into the Timaru Hospital last evening. Burns lost everythi g, as also did Mr G-. F. Finch, the licensee of the hotel. r l ho buildings bflonged to Mr Lachlan McCorinick, who, we understand, had them insured m the South British office for £SOO. With the exception of Burns,' the occupants of tho hotel bid time to make good their escape from the burning building. Tho loss to Mr Finch is a very heavy one, and much sympathy is expressed for him m this district. We may mention that several Btack fires have taken place lately m .South Canterbury, but as wo are not m possession of ptrticulars we are unable to state whether the stacks were insured or not. There is this to be said, that so far there hns not been even a whisper of inuendi»nsm m connection with grass and stack 6re« m South Canterbury, and it may, therefore, bo fairly taken for granted that they have been caused by accident.