FIRES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14074, 4 December 1909, Page 6

FIRES.

A COTTAGE DESTROYED. A 4-roomed cottage at Waimataitai, situated close to the stone bridge in the gully, was completely destroyed by fire between 3 and 4 o'clock yesterday morning. The cottage was occupied by Mrs Johnson and her daughter," who are recent arrivals here, from Oamaru, and it was owned bv Mrs Bargefredo. When Mrs Johnson retired on Thursday night everything was apparently safe, and the origin of the fire is a mystery. All the contents, with the exception of one sewing machine (there were two in the house) and a few nieces of furniture, were destroyed. There was a good deal of stock in the house, Mrs Johnson having kept a shop m town for a time, and when removing from this, she stored the contents of the shop, in her house. The Fire Brigade went out to the scene of the conflagration, and though they got out very promptly after the clang of the bell, the warning had been given too late to enable them to save anything, lne house was a wooden one, and burned verv ranidlv. It was insured in the Roval Office for £125. and the contents were insured in the Northern Office for £l5O.