GOVERNOR BURNT OUT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11977, 14 May 1914, Page 5

GOVERNOR BURNT OUT.

FIRE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

SIR lAN HAMILTON'S ESCAPE.

[By Telegraph—Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, Thursday. A fire occurred.at Government House at 9 o'clock this morning, while the Governor and General Sir lan Hamilton were at breakfast. There was also a, Vice-Ecgal ball last night, of which the electric lighting was a feature, and it is supposed the lire was caused by the fusion of the electric wires. The alarm having been given, the fire brigade responded smartly. A detachment from 11.M.5. Psyche, under the commander, also arrived early on the scene. Lord Liverpool, Sir Tan Hamilton, and their staffs assisted in saving their personal effects, and had removed some furniture. When the brigade arrived the lire had a good hold, and had burned a hole in the wall immediately above the bed in which Sir lan Hamilton slept last night, and through tho floor of the passage leading to the Governor's bedroom, and had attacked the roof of the building. The brigade got the fire under after it had spread to several other rooms. The damage by lire and water is estimated at £(3000. Quite half the building is beyond repair. Sir lan Hamilton's bed was partly burned. In the drawing room on the ground floor the weight of water carried away part of the ceiling. The Governor's room was Hooded with water, and the wallpapers were torn away by the deluge of water. The lire did not make much of a spectacle, the only outward sign being -dense clouds of smoke. Sir lan Hamilton was down late for the inspection of the forts. Mr N. IT. Nathan has placed his residence, adjacent to Government House, at His Excellency's disposal.