MR FORREST'S FIRE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2761, 25 March 1890, Page 2

MR FORREST'S FIRE.

We find the damage done by the fire at Mr James Forrest's farm at Hautapu was considerably in excess of the amount we gave in Saturday's issue. The buildings would cost about £150, and the contents were worth quite another £50. The stables were 73 feet long and 12-feet wide, the greater portion being two storied, and nearly all the small farming utensils were unfortunately in this building when the fire broke out' Although there was not any insurance upon this stable, it must not therefore be inferred that Mr Forreet is one of those individuals who do not believe in protesting their property in that manner ; for he has three other sets of buildings on his farm, and the whole of them are insured. He states ho hardly knows why he did not insure this particular one, but he supposes it was so near the house that a fire would soon be observed and there would be a chance of extinguishing it. Mr Forrest seems to take his loss in a philosophical manner, and while regretting the loss, says that had it been insured, he should have felt very awkwardly situated, as no one could give any satisfactory reason for the fire having started. One thing he is certain of viz., that the tire started under a quantity of hay that had been in the loft for eight months ; tor when smoke was seen issuing from the building, he ran into the stable and could through cracks in the floor, see the hay was all a-glow. Had it been lighted on the top it would not have had that appearance. Just then it burst into flame and the whole building was consumed in an incredibly short space of time. Mr Forrest has frequently allowed tramps to sleep in the loft, and he thinks that matches must have been dropped and that " incendiary rat" or mouse ignited the match and so started the fire. It is twenty three years since Mr Forrest suffered from a fire.