Disastrous Fire.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume I, Issue 5, 1 November 1910, Page 10

Disastrous Fire.

A sad disaster occurred at Napier m the destruction by fire of the Maori Girls' School building at Hukarere on the morning of October 21st. The alarm was first given a few minutes before fi a.m., but the fire had already taken a great hold on the cloak room, which was situated on the ground floor, m the middle of the south end of the buildiug. The girls were immediately got out, and the prompt and orderly way m which this was accomplished was a, remarkable testimony to the influence exercised by the Misses Bulstrode, and their assistants, over those who were under their charge. Those who occupied the dormitory, immediately over the seat of the fire, escaped quietly by a drawbridge from the window to the high bank of the excavation behind, and the rest, without the least confusion, down the stairs at the other end of the building. The progress of the fire was so rapid that very little m the way of clothing was saved, except some of the blankets and sheets, which were hurriedly snatched off the beds, the majority having nothing but what they had been sleeping m. The members of the Fire Brigade were promptly on the scene, and did their utmost with the means at their disposal, but it was quite impossible to save any portion of the School building. Their efforts were however successful m preventing the spread of the fire to other houses, those of Messrs McCarthy and F. W. Williams having been m imminent danger. The disaster is not easily accounted for. No fire had been kept up m the building after breakfast on the previous morning. The cloak room, m which the fire originated, had been locked the night before by one of the senior girls, who went to it for this purpose without a light, and observed nothing unusual m it. Through the kindness of many sympathising friends the girls were soon provided with clothing, and arrangements were at once made for sending them to their respective homes. We have great reason to thank God that no life was lost, and that, of the 70 occupants of the buiLding no one sustained the. slightest bodily injury. He Aitua. He nui te aitua i pono ki Nepia i te 2 1 o nga ra o Oketopa, ko te whare o te Kura Kotiro Maori i Hukarere i werai te ahi. No te 6 o nga haora i te ata kft kitea c tetahi o nga kotiro te

ahi c ka ana i tetahi vuma iringa kakahu, kahore nei he tar-gata-i roto; kua kaha ano te ka ote alii. Hohoro tonu te whakaputa i nga tamariki ki waho, he mea ata tohutohu niarire c nga kai-whakaako, kahore rawa hoki he raruraru ; otira kihai i taea te inau kakahu. he tero rawa no te ka o te ahi. Heoi ano ote nuiriga, ko nga kakahu moenga anake. I tere ano te tae ake o te Ropu Tinei Ahi (Fire Brigade), me te whakaputa i te uaua ki ta ratou mnh\ ; otira kihai rawa i taea te tinei i te ahi, a pau noa te whai'e : ko etahi ano ia o nga whare c tata ana i whakaorangia ; wahi iti ano kua wera i te ahi. Kahore rawa i kitea te putake o tenei ahi. Kahore he ahi c ka ana i nga tumwfi mai o te mutunga o te parakuihi i te 20 o nga ra. Ko te runaa, i timata nei ki reira te ka o te ahi, kei te mau te tatau i te raka, he mea ki c tetahi o nga kotiro ahua pakeke ite ahiabi ; kahore he rama i mauria c ia, kahore hoki he tohu ahi i kitea. He tokomaha nga wahine pakeha o te taone i hohoro te whakaputa i te aroha ki nga kotiro, i whakawhiwhi i a ratou ki te kakahu. Ko nga kotiro kua takihokihoki ki nga fcainga o ratou matua. Kia nui te whakawhetai ki te Atua mo te oratiga mai o te whitu tekau i roto i tenei aitua ; kahore hoki he mate ipa ki te tinana o tetahi o ratou.