CULVERDEN HOTEL BURNT TO GROUND

Wanganui Chronicle, 5 November 1949, Page 4

CULVERDEN HOTEL BURNT TO GROUND

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night (PA)’ —Culverden Hotel, in North Canterbury, was burned to the ground this afternoon and an adjoining dwelling, occupied by the owner, Mrs Beatrice Gudsell, was badly damaged. The hotel was wooden and was at least 60 years old. It was of two storeys and contained 13 bedrooms. The building and contents were insured for £9750 with the National Insurance Company of New Zealand, Ltd. No one was injured. Workmen had been burning off the hotel during the morning in preparation for painting. The tire was noticed on the upper floor soon after noon. Hundreds of voluntary helpers worked feverishly to save material from the hotel. They removed all the property from the house and also cleared completely the stocks from a nearby general store. Culverden residents had decided only last Monday to form a district fire brigade, and in the absence of fire-fighting equipment calls were sent to the Hanmer Springs Volunteer Fire Brigade, 20 miles away, the Waiau Volunteer Fire Brigade, 14 miles away, and the State Forest Service units at Balmoral, about ten y miles to the sopth. These brigades a all arrived in a very short time, but ’ the hotel was well alight and attention was concentrated on saving other buildings. Everyone in Culverden agreed that a large part, of the town would have been endangered but for their concentrated efforts. Hanmer Springs brigade drew water from the swimming baths nearly a quarter of a mile away. The Waiau brigade used two big railway water tanks, and the State Forest Service ran a swift shuttle service in filling portable tanks from nearby streams. Culverden is not reticulated. The blaze was so fierce that the whole hotel had been razed within an hour.