DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3127, 2 March 1909, Page 5

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

THIRTEEN SHOPS DESTROYED AT TAIHAPE. SHORTAGE OF WATER. PROGRESS OF FIRE STOPPED BY; PULLING DOWN BUILDINGS. By Telegraph-—Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 1. A message from Taihape states that a most destructive fire ocuvred this evening, a whole block in Main strept and Station street being totally destroyed. Thirteen business premises were gutted. The fire started in Whaler Bros, boot shop, and spread rapidly right and left. Fortunately it was a cairn night. The other premises were:—McPherson, tailor; Nichols, jeweller; Finch, stationer; Ellis and Darvill; Labour Department; J. P. Aldridge, insurance agent; Hautipo Tea Rooms; Whitcombe, dentist: Wong Kee, fruiterer; Jones, paintar; Hodgson, plumber; Garner, seed merchant. Not a stick of timber was left In the police sergeant's residence, and the shops opposite were only saved by the strenuous exertions of the crowd, who worked willingly. The fire brigade Were just proceeding to trai'i to Auckland to attend the Fire Brigades' Demoti-* stration there, but remained Their services were of little use, as no water was available. The insurances as at present ascertained are as follow:—Hodgson, £3OO in the Norwich Union; Whaler, £250 in the Australian Alliance; McPiur£on, £250; Nichols, £3OO in the South British; Garner, stock £2OO, building (owned by Gibbons) £IOO, both in the Cnmmerical Union; Whitcombe, stock £l5O in the Commercial Union: Finch £9OO on the stock (calued at £1,500) in the Son Office, and on personal effects £SO in the New Zealand Office (He estimates his loss to be over that by £150). The premises of Ellis and Darvill, who had the largest business in Taihape, were insured in the Alliance Office, but the amount is not kr;ovn. Tna progress of the fire was eventually stopped by pulling down buildings adjoining the police section.