AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 8, 25 August 1909, Page 6

AUCKLAND.

Great Fire in Auckland. DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT ABOUT £70.000. One of the most destructive fires experienced in Auckland for years occurred on Monday night, August 16, in the four-storey Queen-street block, belonging to Mr. Arthur M. Myers, and known as the Strand Arcade. The place of origin is variously stated, but the alarm was given at 7.40 p.m., and so fiercely did the flames rage that it took the combined city and suburban brigades to quell the blaze and confine it to the Arcade. The fortunate absence of wind helped the firemen to prevent the flames from spreading, and even as it was the Albert and Thistle Hotels on either side, and the Albert Brewery at the baek, had the narrowest possible escapes. The really heroic efforts of the fire-fighters triumphed in the end, but not before the whole of the Strand Arcade building had been reduced to cinders, together with the contents of the numerous shops and offices in various parts of the building.

News of a fire spreads even more rapidly than do the flames, and Queenstreet and all surrounding points of vantage were soon filled with excited crowds of people. Roars of cheers from the rapidly-swelling crowds greeted the turning on of each fresh lead of hose as the gallant firemen took up their hazardous positions on the brink of the roaring furnace. All the available police were soon on the scene, and, aided by six companies of Volunteers who responded to the call for reinforcements, the crowd were controlled and moved out of the danger zone. Meanwhile the leaping sheets of flame, rolling masses of smoke, the crash of falling masonry and splintering glass, combined to make an awe-inspiring spectacle, such as, happily, is but seldom witnessed. Soon the crowds were the witnesses of a gallant rescue. Mr. E. 'Crouch, indent agent, who had entered the building to secure some valuables from his office, was cut off by the flames, and stood on the top fire escape balcony, frantically calling for help. Mr. J. H. MeCarrol and Mr. T. McPherson dashed to the rescue, but the former, who tried the stairway, was beaten back by smoke and flame. Mr. McPherson, however, amid ringing cheers managed to reach Mr. Crouch from the outside, snatching him from his terrible position into safety. Thereafter the crowd cheered continuously, principally for the firemen, for whom no place seemed too dangerous, too hot, or too high for them to climb to.

Meanwhile from the blazing pile poured showers of sparks and cinders, while every now and then could be heard the heavy thud of a gas explosion and the tearing crash of falling floors. Fears were entertained for the safety of the front wall, and then a side wall overtopping the Thistle Hotel was seen to sway, and then with a deafening crash tons and tons of masonry smashed the roof of the hotel. Two firemen had narrow escapes, and Mr. McPherson, the hero of the previous rescue, received serious injury. Several others were hurt, principally from falling glass, masonry, and beams.

After 9 p.m. the firemen began to get the upper hand, but for hours afterwards the ruins smouldered and crowds watched the vigilant firemen and the play of the never-ceasing hoses until long after midnight. All the following day the roadway and the opposite footpath were thronged with interested spectators, the crowd being so dense at times that the tramway service had to be run at reduced speed. The building presented a melancholy sight, great eracks and fissures running through the blackened brickwork, and many were the comments on the danger threatening firemen and others whose business took them under those towering walls. The total damage is estimated at between £60,000 and £70,000. The damage to the Arcade itself may be set down at about £30,000. The insurances show that the losses are spread over a large number of offices, those that had taken large lines having

reinsured down to comparatively small amounts.' The New Zealand office, whose total amounted to £7850, had this sum reinsured to £ 1500. The total insurances on the building destroyed and the contents are about £30,000. . - Workers’ Homes. The Acting Premier, referring to the subject of workers’ homes in the course of a speech at Gisborne, said his colleague, Mr. Millar, was inclined to think the workmen’s homes up to the present had been rather a failure, and proposed to obtain an amendment of the Act. Some of these buildings were tenantless, and Mr. Millar was inclined to think it would be wise to provide that able in the end to make them their those taking up these homes should be own. That would tend to permanency of tenancy.

Cut Out. Meynell and Gunn have decided to cut out New Zealand from their theatrical itinerary henceforth, and confine their operations to Sydney and Melbourne, with a company in each place, and a third touring the Commonwealth. Heavy shipping charges, recurrent travelling expenses, and the quiet state of things in New Zealand, have led to this decision. No Ground for Calumnic: We are told (says the “Sydney Evening News”) that New Zealand is povertystricken; that her people are oppressed by a heavy burden of taxation; that, in spite of prohibition and local option, she drinks too much. We are also assured that her population is decreasing by reason of emigration to the more favoured and prosperous Australian States. It is, in fact, widely asserted that our enterprising neighbour is financially, socially, politically, and in most other directions, in a bad way. Her Premier, however, when in Sydney, flatly contradicted all these rumours, and emphatically stated that there was no ground for such calumnies with regard to the young Dominion. And (the “News” continues) we believe that Sir Joseph Ward was thoroughly justified in this repudiation of hostile criticism —New Zealanders are not .the kind of people to suffer deterioration. Their climate, their national record, their superior type of politicians, absolutely forbid any supposition of the sort. And, at any rate, their representative in England has 'taken the lead of Australasia, as evidenced by his speeches, in statesmanship and patriotism. The King, in the conversation which followed on the audience given to Sir Joseph Ward, also gave the Premier a message for the Dominion, expressing the Royal satisfaction with its progress and its patriotic aspirations. Edward VII. and his advisers may not know everything; but they know enough to withhold congratulations and appreciation from any decadent .State,

New Queen-street Wharf. An important stage in connection with the harbour scheme undertaken by the Board was reached on Friday, when the Ferro Concrete Company of Australasia, Limited, completed their contract portion of the new Queen-street Wharf, which is being constructed in ferro-con-crete. As an intimation to those concerned that it was very dry work the workmen hoisted a flag and surmounted it with a barrel.

The general manager of the company (Mr. W. A. Robertson) told a “Star’ 4 reporter that the work was commenced about two years ago. Operations at the start were delayed for about eight or nine months owing to certain works being carried out in connection with the breastwork, and then the preparations for the reception of the American fleet meant another delay of quite two months. The first section of the wharf being that portion on the western side and extending from Queen-street to the first tee, w'ith an area of 75,000 square feet, was completed some time ago, and the completion of the remaining portion at the top end of the eastern side marks the termination of the original contract. This section is shorter but wider than the first and considerably larger, the total area being 78,000 square feet. The company also constructed the new ferry tee on the western side of the wharf, the area of this work being 33,100 square feet. The wharfage accommodation put down by the company, in connection with the Queen-streee

Wharf thus totalled 186,000 square feet. The contract price was £82,296. A full staff of workmen was employed up to .within a month ago, then hands were Slackened gradually until only eight or ten men were left, when the work was finished yesterday. The inner section of the eastern side of the wharf is being constructed by the Board’s own workmen, who have made good progress so far. , The Seddon Memorial College. The foundation stone of the new Technical College was formally laid on Aug. 17th by his Excellency the Governor, and speeches appropriate to the occasion were made by Lord Plunket, the Mayor of Auckland, the chairman of the Education Board, and Mr. George George. We need hardly say that we endorse heartily most of what was said about the value of technical training as a means of promoting our industrial and commercial prosperity, and we congratulate all concerned upon the success of their efforts to place technical education upon a broad and firm basis in this city. It is very likely, as Mr. George said, that a much larger building would have been preferable if we could have afforded it; but, considering the circumstances of the case, and in view of the heavy public expenditure needed for other forms of education, we think that those interested in technical training here should be very well pleased with what they have got. And we regret that it is necessary to remind our readers that in all probability the large sum of money subscribed would not have been available if the appeal for funds had not been originally associated with an object that was not even mentioned at yesterday’s function. It seems to us a remarkable and unfortunate fact that in not one of the speeches, as reported, do we find a single reference to the name of Seddon. Yet it is well known that this institution, when funds were being gathered for its establishment, was always referred to as a “ Seddon Memorial ” College, and that it was under this title that public interest was first attracted towards it. We have no doubt that the public sympathy for the cause of technical training would in any case have produced some material response to this appeal. But it would be interesting, if it were possible, to discover whether the Savings Bank would have voted i £10,600, and Government would have given its subsidy, and the general public would have subscribed quite so freely, if the name of Seddon had not been connected with the undertaking, and if one of its avowed objects had not been to do honour to a great patriot and statesman. But, however this may be, there can be no doubt that it was as a Seddon Memorial College that this technical institution first appeared before the public, and it is in our opinion much to be regretted that such an occasion as last week’s ceremonial should have passed by without so much as a single mention of the great Premier’s name. The Opposition Leader. The Choral Hall was packed to the doors on Friday, on the occasion of the presentation of a national testimonial to Mr. W. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition. Mr. F. W. Lang, M.P., presided, and other parliamentary representatives present were: Messrs. James Allen, W. H. Herries, F. Mander, D. H. Guthrie, D. Buick, W. C. Buchanan, F. M. B. Fisher, J. Bollard, and L. R. Phillipps. On the platform were also seated Messrs. Richard Monk, ex-M.P., A. E. Harding, ex-M.P., D. Reid (Dunedin), A. R. Wallis (Invercargill), and T. Peacock, ex-M.P. A number of telegrams and letters of apology from all the absent members of the Opposition, and from other prominent supporters, were read by the chairman. Mr. Allen presented Mr. Massey with a cheque for 1000 guineas and a handsome grandfather clock, to which was affixed a suitable inscription on a silver plate; also a solid silver table service and a costly diamond bracelet for Mrs Massey. There was prolonged cheering when the presentation was made, the crowd singing, “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”