THE WELLINGTON FIRE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1498, 4 March 1887, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON FIRE

Wellington, Maroh 3. The " Post " is informed that legal advice from reliable authority has been given that the City Corporation can be held responsible to the losers for the total amount of damages done by the late fire. The grounds upon which this opinion la based cannot, of course, be made publio, buii it is quite on the cards that tho Insurance Companies will submit the quel* tion to a court of law. -

There has b9en a difficulty between the Customs aathorltea and Insuranoe Companion over tho goods damaged by fire In Johnston's boud. According to therega* Ulions the full duty has to be paid In such cases, or tho goods would be destroyed, which it was alleged would come very hard on the Companies. A deputation waited on the Commissioner of Customa to see lf some arrangement could not ba ootne to, and Sir J. Yogel agreed to make a concession on suoh lines as were found to bo injured. This power the Aot gives under certain conditions. An expert haa been brought up from Ohrlstohuroh who will sort out the contents and assess the damage. On lhe bottled spirits and similar articles full duty will atfl| have to ba paid, whether damaged or no& *