THE FIRE AT FEATHERSTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 726, 25 March 1881, Page 2

THE FIRE AT FEATHERSTON.

Yesterday afternoon we circulated., an extra, briefly'detailing the great fire in the above township and the properties destroyed. About 11 a.m. it was first pbsery.od in the Club Hotel, a fine house erected about two years ago ; and which has recently been transferred by Mr Toogood to Mr ffabor, The origin of the 'fire is said to. have been a defeotlve chimnoy, as the first indication of flame was discovered in an .upper room above the jkitphen. The fact, however, that within the Bpace of almost a 'year Mr Faber has been burnt out three timesfirst in the Tictoria Hotel, secondly in a private dwelling-house, and lastly in the Olub Hptel yesterday—is much canvassed in local circles, Mr Faber, at the time of the fire, was-on his way from Wellington' to Featherston, and only arrivod home jn tinjo to see the smoking ruins of his premises. The alarm of fire spread quickly, and the adult population of the town was Boon on tho spot, but the want of organised .firemen, of appliances, and of water, made every effort to stay the progress of the flames futile, The building was soon a mass of flames, and % falling timbers severed tjio telegraph wires in front of the establishment, The wind, too,'carried flame and sparks across the road, and Mr Toogood's large store caught alight. Every effort was njade to check the second fire, but in vaiu. A portion (jf the Supple was saved, but very little els? could be <fone. main store of t}ie township with its large stock and adjacent outbuildings were soon swept by the fire and burnt to the ground.

The promises near, oocupied by Mr Q'lfeal, painter and glazier, J were also destroyed, and it was not without difficulty that several adjacent properties were protected from the flying sparks.

The total, yalue of the property destroyed is estimated at £BOOO and of this amount nearly £6OOO is known to be covered by insurance, The Olub Hotel with its furniture was worth nearly £4OOO, and was insured for £3OOO in six different offices. Mr Toogood's stock was insured |n tj)e Union for LISOO but is estimated to ba worth; L22QO. He has an additional insurance of LSOO on his household furniture. Mr J. G. Cox the landlord of Mr Toogood's premises had them insured' in the Victoria for LSOO ; their cost w()3 LBOO, Mr : O'Neal's loss has. not yet been ascertained.»s he is working at Waihenga, but it is known that his atook is a heavy one, and it is feared that his losses will be severe. As" one of the best and steadiest tradesmen in the district, his misfortune naturally creates considerable sympathy.

The excitement it)-Feafyerston yester'day afternoon and evening .was very considerable, The unexpected occurrence of so seriousii fire after so brief an interval, has created a feeling of alarm and mistrust whioh; only the; strictest .investigation is calculated to allay. '-•■'■• .. • We deam; this, morning' that' alljfire is extinguished in-the neighborhood "of the block,* Mv^,'^',;Oox's ;^private: 'house was/ wei'are saved': with; great diffical^; ; -M

'•: p o ■L:i;g,E:^i()^,:^j|. ;■■■': MASTERTON 1 THUEsM;;!f: [Before E S. Wardeil, Esq!: 8.M.; and ■ A. W. Renall and .JilsP.'Ruasell, ■• .. ;Eaq.'B ) J.R , s.]\ -:.:"v« : ft'. : '!'-■ SspeotorMastfliipn Borough v Robert Whyburn—Breach of Borough by-laws by- drirag after sunset without lights. Fined la and'eosts. :■; :;^;./:v':\;;';;;;. '. Same yW. F.York.—Driving a vebioie across a constructed footpath—the footpath'was unfenced. • Fined ls.'andcosts. '■•■ Same v D. F, McCarthy!—Obstrao&ig footway in Bannister-street by plaoing goods thereon, Fined 5s and costs. Sergt. M'Ardle v John Eobson.—Malicious injury to Eagle l Brewery, by break-, ing two panes of glass on 20th Maroh.' Charge withdrawn on acoused: paying costs. Constable Cai'rol v John Livingstone.— Drank and disorderly on 23rd inst. Fined 20s, or 48 houra. ■ . ' Sergt; M'Ardle v Andrew Johnson.— Breach of Vagrant Act—no.visible means of support. Defendant pleaded guilty The Sergeant stated that the'accused had been a good working man until his health failed, The Court said it could not send a man to gaol because he was without means of support, and had chronic lung disease. The case was a proper one for the consideration of a Benevolent Society. r M. Dixon v Mary L Lancely.—Possession £5. ' Mr Beard for plaintiff. Possession ordered to be given on confession of defendant. . . • James Thompson v Chamberlain, Bros. -£47 6s 2d. Mr.Beard for plaintiff,Mr Bunny for defendant. Ordered to stand over by consent of parties to April 7th. W. J. Nathan v S. Hounslow' jun.— Debt £l l9s. Judgment confessed. Same v John Check.—los, Judgment for amount claimed. , Same vB. Exell.— £l 9s, Judgment confessed. Same y W. 4s. Judgment for amount and costs. SamevH;lhaia.— £l l2s. .Judgment for 17s 6d and costs. . Samev Ariari Harauria.— M 17s 6d. Adjourned to 7th April. Bowry and King v G. Tait.—£lllss 2d. Mr Bunny for plaintiffs* Judgmont for amount and costs. , - W.H. Pillar v A. Invin.—£ls. Mr Beard for plaintiff. Ordered to stand over, by consent of parties, to April 7th. . W. ¥. Taylor v Tikawenga and others. Possession £2O. Mr Beard for plaintiffs. Possession ordered on confession. Harriet H. Jones v John Livingstone. Assault on the 23rd inst. Acoused said he remembered nothing at all about it, but was awfully sorry for it. Harriet Hannah Jones deposed she was the wife of E. G. Jones, residing at Masterton, At seven last evening she was preparing tea for heY children m her own house. Accused came into the room and laid his hands upou her in. a very indecent manner, She had not seen him before. When he put his hands on her she slapped him in the face and ordered him out. She told him he had made a mistake, and ho said he believed he had. He then left the room at her bidding, but in the passage he said "Shall I hit you?" She said, "You had belter not," and then he aimed a blow at her, but she dodged it. He then asked the way out, and she told hini't'bat the dooi; wis straight b§fpi'e him, He turned back and struck hex ju the passage andlmacked her doiyh.' He hit her on the side of the' head, and dragged her into the shop; Her husband, who was an invalid, followed into the shop, He had his stick, She took the stick to defend herself. The acoused wrenched the stick W. ] 1® ton* and broke it. He then dragged her husband, who cahie to her assistance, ani sent him out at the door—whprij he. fell. The accused' 1 made no defence, but promised if he got out of the scrape to be careful for the fixture. He was. very willing to make up for damages done to.Mrs Jones, . The Court said it had no hesitation in convicting the accused'of the assault as charged. Its only anxiety was in ajiportioningthp punishment to the gravity of the offence. Public decency and gppd order must bo maintaine'dy' 1 If was" dot possible to allow any man to run .riot anongst.tho community. It oould not allow such conduct to be condoned by a money payment, The offence was about aq grevious a one as could be committed. The Court could not admit [lie excuse of intoxication," A severe penalty would be the only course' to restrain the 'accused and others who acted in a similar manner, It could not allow the accused to. pay a fine, but. would sentence him to three months' imprisonment wit'n hard labor, Before entering up judgment it would allow witnessed tp be called to testify to tlje previous qljaraoter qf the acousad, Messrs Cave, Carr,Pery, and J. Bennett subsequently appeared and spoke in high terms of the accused as far "as regarded his ordinary private life and his ordinary social life and domestic relations, Complainant also attended, and stated that she did not wish the Court'to pass so heavy a sentenoo, and that if she had thought tho sentence would have been so severe she would not have brought the matter into Court. Mr Beard tlieu addressed the Court on behalf of the prisoner, pointing out that though the plea of 'drunkenness could hot be entertained as ah excuse for' his condud still the Court would, no doubt, consider that the influence of drink would make men do tilings that they knew nothing '.of afterwards, nor at the time, and he hoped that in-this case the Court would exercise a wise. discretion and inflict such a fine as would act as a warning to defendant, as well as a deterrent to others. His Worship stated that they bad, not only 'to'consider Mrs Jones' petition-for leniency, but alpo the safety of the community, at large, He would'give due weight to. all that had been urged in the defendant's favor, aiid woqld. give the decision of the Court- at 1 o'clpok. On the Court resuming at 1 p.m., Mr Beard stated that the defendant was prepared to permanently pledge himself to total abstinence. The Court stated that since the accused was in the dock it had made some inquiry into his general sooial character. The offence was one of a serious nature, against society, as wqll as against the individual aggrieved, if liad'already intimated a punishment wbioh was in'its opinion commensurate with tho offence. The statements made subsequently as to the character of the accused had caused it to form a different estimate of the case. The Court had been told that his character stood high', aqd, taking all this into consideration, it felt. that; the offence might be mitigated by the condition he was in, though drunkenness could not be taken as'an excuse for it, His conduct had.appeared to be.that of a man-in a state of temporary insanity; and there was a strong contrast between it and his iordu nary private character. Under the influence of liquor, he appeared to be a terror in the comihunity, If jt .yielded tq the'apVeal'made ; pn his behalf by Mr Beard too much to a feeling of sympathy, but it would risk it.; If the defendant was" prepared to pledge himself in. a manner that would enable hk to'form : a hew habit in ' life, the CouiTwould not prevent hirrire-' gaining the position lie had formerly held; ;Mr MdiMrsfohes hadijomed in the ap-' phcation'foi'' leniency and it would alter : ;th'e''sentehce from imprisonment ;tp a fine of iM,;defendant tp;be. bound fbr'i£so.''&:' keep. th6-peacei;arid"fo -find one 'other <-. surety of ft siirjilai' amount, -x ; ::^'n: 'M ; ;