FIRE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1055, 21 January 1884, Page 2

FIRE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

On Saturday night a fire occurred in High street, Christchurch, by which were destroyed the premises occupied by Alfred Simpson, bookseller; Church, draper; Delaware, grocer; and Smith, boot and shoe maker. The fine new building of the Empire Hotel prevented the spread of the flames in one direction, and the brick wall of Petersen’s, jeweller, in the other. A heavy rain also assisted by extinguishing the large flakes of burning material which fell on the neighboring roofs. The Fire Brigade worked hard for three hours. the damage is estimated at about LIO.OOO. Delaware was uninsured, and the insurances so far as ascertained want certifying as -o details. The following are said to be the insurances :—H. J. Hall’s, on the premises occupied by Church and Smith, L 1.300, office not ascertained ; Smith’s stock, insured in the London and Liverpool for LSOO, Standard LSOO, and Union L 509, of which L 250 is re-insured, not known in what office ; Church’s stock, in the New Zealand LSOO, and Mercantile Union L6O, fixtures insured for LI 50, office not known ; Simpson’s buildings, LSQO in the Imperial, LSOO in the South British, and stock LI,OOO in the Phoenix, LI,OOO in the Now Zealand, LI,OOO in the Union, LSOO in the Guardian, LSQO in the Norwich Union, LSOO in the Royal, L 250 in the United, and LSOO in the Mercantile Union, fittings insured for LIOO office unknown.

[by telegraph.] Christchurch, To-day. The following are the additional or corrected insurances on the fire ;—H. J. Hall’s building, LBOO in the Union office, of which L 250 is re-insured in the United and L 225 in the Hamburg-Magdeburg; on Church’s fixtures, LSO in the Australian Mercantile. The Union and the Victorian had LSOO each on Simpson’s (bookseller) stock in addition to the insurances already telegraphed, but the Australian Mercantile had no risk over this stock. Of the LI ,000, for which it was insured in the Union, LSOO was reinsured in the London and Lancashire, and L 260 of the LI,OOO held over the same stock by the New Zealand was reinsured in the Hamburg-Magdeburg. The total of all the insurances is L 10,250.