Fire at Makotuku.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5880, 30 April 1912, Page 2

Fire at Makotuku.

Hotel and Other Buildings Destroyed. Between four aud five o’olock on fcuo. day morning a firo broke out at the rear of tbo Beaconsfield Hotel, Makotuko, and resulted in the destruction of that building and four others. Wheu thefirt started a strong westerly wind was blowing, and the hotol was speedily a 11 union mass, the iuuiates escaping with diiticulij and scantily clad Tho neighbours bouo assembled to render what assistance they could, but owing to the wind could mf do much. Mr A. J. Sugoeu’a store, adj linir g the hotel, was soon efl <me>, and nothing wo saved except a tew personil effects belonging to Miss Sugdsu Tin lire quiokly spread to an acjaoeut blauksmith’s shop and thence to the public library, from which all tbo books were luckily saved. Although heavy r»iu wu falling the firo extended to the snleyardi, (destroying a number of the poos and tbi auctioneer’s office By this time i bucket brigade bad got to work, sod their exertions, assisted by heavy showers prevented tho tire spreading through the ealeyards. The buildings destroyed wore old laudmarks in this township. The hotel wu the property of Messrs Robj >hr.e, Hindmarsh and Co , and was occupied by Mr G. Davies. There was an insurance of £1250 ot the hotel buildiog, £BOO in the Britiak Dominions Company and £450 io tbc Norwich Union. The stock had i cover tf £IOO, the furniture £350, aod tki billiard table and accessories £IOO, illu the Norwich Union. The British Dominions office also held a fire risk of £4G on the men’s room and store, aud £6i on the shed next to the hotel. Thm was an insurance of £450 on Sugdu’i building in thu Standard office. It is estimated that the lose will if between £3500 and £4OOO. The cause of thu fire is unknown, but it is supposed to have started in tt» kitchen of the hotel.