MANSE DESTROYED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18540, 10 April 1930, Page 10

MANSE DESTROYED

MINISTER’S ILL-FORTUNE. By Telegraph—Press Association. DUNEDIN, April 9. The third disastrous fire at Kaitangata in the Jast month occurred at an early hour this morning, when the Presbyterian manse was completely gutted. The house was one of ten rooms, and the only occupant was the Rev. Frank McDonald, who barely had time to snatch a few clothes and get out of the house, which was a raging inferno when a crash of falling material awoke him. The flames were then all round him. The Volunteer Brigade was called out, but from the start its efforts to quell the blaze were hopeless owing to lack of water and ineffective appliances for fighting a big outbreak, while a strong easterly wind fanned the flames.

The firemen, however, succeeded in preventing the blaze from spreading to a nearby plantation of pine trees. There were no other houses in the vicinity.

111-luck seems „to have dogged Mr McDonald for the past few months. His wife died suddenly while on holiday in Christchurch, and then, after his holiday, his health broke down, and he only resumed preaching a Sunday or two ago. He lost everything in the fire, including a large and valuable collection of books. Mr McDonald came to Kaitangata from Pahiatua a year ago. and his furniture was all new. The insurances on the effects are not available.