FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1427, 12 January 1885, Page 2

FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland, Yesterday. A fire broke out last night in the ash Factory of the New Zealand Timber Com* pany, Customhouse street. The establishment was destroyed aud a million feet of timber in the yard. Insurance—L3,ooo in the Norwich Union, largely re-insared. The Timber Company’s mill was saved, chief!' through a change of wind, but L 3,000 worth of timber in the yard was destroyed. Insurance—Factory, L 7.000 in the South British, partly re-insured. The timber was uninsured. The Auckland Fire Brigade worked splendidly, aided by men from the Iroquoise. They assisted to save the barquentiue Frank Grey, of Napier, lying at the Timber Wharf. Further Particulars. The origin of the fire is unknown. The workmen knocked off work at five o'clock on Saturday. The watchman states the fire began in the top story of the sash factory, and ran through the building before he could get out the hbse. The Fire Brigade had eight head of hoee on and a splendid water supply. Captain Sterling, of the American warship, at the outset sent Ensign Gilmore in the captain’s gig to tender Superintendent Hughes the services of the ship’s fire brigade for shore duty, which was gladly accepted. The Ensign threw op a rocket, and at the signal the Iroquoise cutter came ashore with Lieutenant Hasley and twenty-five men and apparatus. The liberty men on shore also assisted in getting out warps on the barquenline Frank Guy, which was aground at the timber wharf. tier sails were-unbent, her rigging, topsides and deck kept plied with water. A large quantity of timber and shingles in her vicinity was thrown into ' the harbor. The vessel was saved. It was past midnight before the crisis of the r fire was over. A long and desperate ’ struggle ensued on the western side of the | block to save the Auckland Timber Com- ( pany’s Factory, and on the Eastern side . to prevent the extension of the fire eastj ward, which proved successful. When the Auckland Fire Brigade men were exi hausted, the Iroquoise men relieved them, till three o’clock this morning, when the ’ fire was well under control, when they , left for the ship, amid the cheers of the J populace. But for the splendid water I supply the whole of the timber industries r on the reclamation ground would probably have been wiped out. At the outbreak of the [fire, wnen the Auckland Gasworks were in danger, a crowd kept away, apprehensive of the boilers bursting and of an explosion of the gasometer. A number of people in town, under an absurd apprehension, put out their gas, fearing a gas ' explosion. The Fire Brigade are still 1 employed on the immense mass of smouldering debris, extending over an acre. The Auckland Timber Company lose t L 3,000 in timber destroyed, which } was insured in the New Zealand t offices. The Timber Company had only ’ L3,00D on the mill, plant, and stock. The Company’s net loss is L 7,000. Proposals j for an additional L 3.000 were forwarded i to Sydney for submission to, and aoceptt ance by, the Sydney offices per Hinga* . rooms, which sailed for Sydney on £ Thursday last. Of course these are now of no effect. Most of the offices here had * lines of re-insuranca from the Norwich Union and the South British, but (he offices being closed on Sunday the amount is unknown. The total dimage, includi ing wharfage partly burnt, and injuries to lad j icant property, amounts to L 14,000 or L 15,000,

[by teleokaph.] Auckland, To day

The re-insurancea on the Are are—Fire Assurance, LSOO ; Phoenix, L6OO ; Equitable, L 250; United, L 229;6 9; National, L 220;50; New Zealand, L 220;5 0; Colonial, L 250. The South British had originaby L 7.400, which they had latterly reduced to L4.000,' and this policy expired on 31st December last, when a fresh insurance was affected in the Norwich Union. Proposals, with the necessary documents and information, of L 3,000 were forwarded to Sydney for acceptance by the Sydney Insurance offices on Thursday last per Ringarooma. Of course these proposals will eventuate in nothing, as information of the fire will have been cabled to Sydney to await arrival of steamer. The Auckland Timber Company's mills and machinery are insure! by the South British for LB,OOO (all reinsured again save LI,000), but the timber in the yards is not insured, being held at the Company?* risk. The amount of timber destroyed by the fire was estimated on Saturday Aight at L 2,500 to L 3.000, but on examining the yard yesterday the loss was found not to be so great, and probably will be from L 1,500 to L 2.000.