PALMERSTON NORTH FIRE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7677, 29 January 1904, Page 6

PALMERSTON NORTH FIRE.

{By Telegraph — Press Association). Palmerston, This Day.

The extent of the fire was entirely due to the fact that tho water supply was cut off. it has been the practice during the past two weeks to close the outward valve at the reservoir between the hours of 7 p.m. and 4 a.m., a man being stationed near tho Fit/.herbert Bridge to open tho valvo when an alarm was sounded, but it took half an hour for the pressure to become efficient. Meantime the Brigade was helpless to check tho flames. The unanimous opinion is that had the pressure been efficient within 20 minutes of the alarm, the flames would have been confined to Mr Hopkin's billiard-room, where the fire started. In addition to the actual fire losses, hundreds of pounds damage was done to the Royal Hotel, and offices on the opposite side of Rangitikei-street, also to the offices and business promises on the opposite side of Cuba-street, which several times burst into flamos. Captain Tingey and L'eutenant Browning, of the Fire Brigade, were absent at Te Aroha. The insurances, so far as can be ascertained, total £7780. The loss above insurance is estimated at £5110, the total damage being put down at £14,000. Following are the details of tho insurances : —New Zealand Insurance Co.: Mrs Tait, Clarendon stable, £200 ; Carroll, building, £4025; Smith, effects, £250; Wishart, tools, £30; Mrs Flemtiling, furniture stored at Smith's, £200 North Queensland Office: Kavanagh, stock, £625; Merriman, stock, £150 5 Mrs Tait, stock and furniture, £1350; (some of the amounts in this office are re-insured with the Imperial Office). Commercial Union Office: Gascoigne, stock, £700; Coombs, stock, £100. Alliance Office : Hopkins, billiard-table and fittiugs, £150. Mr Hannah's stock, .£I2OO in tho New Zealand office. Wellington, This Day. The insurance offices state that the whole of the net premiums collected in Palmerston for the last two years have been absorbed in this fire.