THE AUCKLAND FIRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1479, 23 November 1872, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND FIRE.

The following special message was telegraped to the Otago Daily Times : — Auckland, Nov 20, 1 a.m. A great fire broke out in Fort street, at midnight, and spreael with fearful rapidity to the back of Queen and Shortland streets. The fire is supposed to have originated in a slated store belonging to Mr Schcrffs. All the stores j from Mr Bucholz's to Mr Isaac's, on the north I side of Fort street, have been burnt down, including Mr Franz Scherff's and Mr C. Thome's, jun. ; also, Mr Bucholz's bonded store. The latter contained goods from Messrs, i E. and H. Isaacs, H. S. Meyers, and others^ but principally Mr Bucholz's own goods. Tlje-' whole were valued at £10,000. Nothing saved from any of these stores, the fire sp^adiug with such rapidity as not to allow tisp^e-'.to save even the books. The back of Messrs. Isaac's premises was also destroyed!,. Their loss, with the goods damaged, is e^i^ated, at £1000. The flames caught Mr Meyera'shack^ store, adjoining Messrs Isaacs'^ and Messrs Coombes and Daldy's gum aiofe. Had th«., latter caught, all Q.ueon street from the Me* i tropolitan to the wharf, mvsit, have gone. ' Shortly before 1 o'cl<jyk, smoke was seen issuing from the roof pf the Custom House and Telegraph Office-. The firemen were unable to reach th.9 roof with the hose, and the building soon burst into flames. All hope of saving 'tho block was lost. The fire then communicated with the Provincial Government offices and Post-office. The mails and a f ow books were saved with great difficulty, but nearly all the Government papers were destroyed. The Custom House, with nearly all the papers in it, was totally destroyed ; as also were the Telegraph office, Post-offieo, and all the Provincial Government offices. The instruments wore saved from the Telegraph office by one of the operators. Mr Lynch, the Magistrate's Clerk, -while enelcavouving to save some charts, was ■nearly crushed by wood falling on him. Ho oa-. caped, but was dreadfully burnt, being covercel with molten lead. Two firemen wew eli,sabled. Eallip's dining rooms Wight fire from sparks, but tho flamea were extinguished. Cochrane's auction mart i 3 now on fire, and tho storekeepers in the vicinity are clearing out. The Bank of Australasia, aeljoining the Post-ofllce, is in great clanger, and the hose ia ■ playing on it. Mr Nathan's stove is coiv , tinually igniting. 4.35 a.m. ; Messrs Thornton, Smith, and Firth's steam , hydrant rendered great service in checking ; the fire. s The following persons' buildings arc more • or less damageel by fire, water, and removal : , — M' Arthur, Sheara and Co. (loss consider- . able) ; Mabin, broker ; Allender's soap fac- ; tory; H. M. Jervis, and Martin and Onion, ; shipping agents ; Jackson and Russell, solieii tors ; Thames Golel Mining Company, and i other offices. , 1 The estimated loss at present, including the , Government Buildings, is £85,000. 9.32 a.m. Great dissatisfaction is felt with tho bad . appliances, the weak supply of water, and the ! disputes between the Volunteer Fire Brigaele and the Insurance Companies Fire Brigade. The Telegraph-office lost everything but a . temporary battery is being worked. The Postoffice has beeu removed to Fort Britomart barracks ; the Custom House to a temporary office at the foot of Fort street ; and the Provincial Government offices to Mr Rattray's store, in Shortland street. 12.5 p.m. The following is a correct list of the insurances on the property destroyed :—Norwich Union Co., £1000 ; Scottish Commercial ' Co., £1000; South British Co., £1200 ; Victoria Co., £100 ; New Zealand Co., £800 ,- Royal Co., £3000; Northern Co., £2500; total, £12,500. The fire has now been thoroughly got ■ under. , 1.31 p.m. Work was commenced this morning in the s several Government Departments, in their ■ temporary offices. The Provincial Government Records iv the

Record Office were all tuesfcroyed, ,bt3; Treasury cash and books were served, .;.Tu'a! deeds, which were in a Milner's safe^ are-ali spoiled. The books, . -whi«h were mi. a safe made by Mann, London, are ch&orecL bui> saved. The Waste Lands depEff^eat- lci&t- :- many valuable maps and records. A telegram from another source .says ;— The telegraph instruments, Ciistoms . aad Savings Bank records, and Provincial maps and plans, were mostly saved. At. the -fire- aB was confusion, the riv al fire bagjvdes jsqiiabbling. The fire originated in Mr Scherffs'store, Fort street, it :is believed. amongsfethe flax bales. A man was in the ssQV©-.at.B o'olocfc with a light, but he says hsv-locked hY up safely. f>.4'3 -p.m. Great anxiety is fe It by people-, here'rdw an inquiry into the origi n of t-hfi..iua»- No., suspicions arc entertain ed regarding ther- cause-, but it is attributed to misiaftnagemenji . The! disputes between thj rival, fire brigae'eii. -w^se j scandalous. The Governasent-Buildmg-a.wyae-i sacrificed, while 20f >0 people -were laofcin" ©m. Not a ladder was availably .h\ time. °"