THIS FIRE LAST NIGHT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 55, 17 July 1868, Page 3

THIS FIRE LAST NIGHT.

TO TIIK KJm'Ott Ol* TMM STAU, Bin,*~Snmo limo since onr BuporJntondont •of Iflro Brl^adof* look trouble to h/ivo printed a firo alarum • guide, but to judge from the way in which tho notice was given Inst night, anyone would hava imagined tho wholo town to have been on firo at once i tho boll first tolling out ono, 'then two, nnd winding up with three, .distinctive peals, Howov r, eventually the locality (or 'somewhere within about half-a-mllo of It) was discovered, and our gallant volunteor brigade sot to work to put tho firo out, you. would -.ny* nothing of the kind, sir, Myself and several others of the outsiders woro agisting at the firo, that is to say wo had our bunds iv our pockets and woro looking on, whon tho whole prouesnlon, engines, reels, men, aud last though n«t loant music, filed pnnt, and took up a poi-ltlon some distance beyond Cranmor ,'dfiunro, and tho ordor wan given to "Unlay thero," Having searched about tlioro nomo timo, the music was again soundod and tho ardor given to " turn a stern ■" this timo th'*y woro " dond on the lead," at least everybody thought so, but, unfortunately, the men woro directed to " lay aft thoro with Uioho buckets," and mistaking tho order, thoy rushed Into tho w"rong houso, However, wo had shortly tho pleasure of hearing the stentorian voice of tho loader dead on tho "spot,'-' 80, knowing our dread enemy wns onco moro tinder control, wo vnmooHcd for homo, arid having turned Into hod, thought over iho nhovu until wo foil asleep, and dreamed we were the real " oxtingulflhor," Your obedient servant, Hig.NIX. M