THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1545, 29 April 1887, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

Wellington, April 28 The adjoining premises did not suffer from fire, but the contents of Nathan's ■tore are said to be greatly damaged by Trater. It ia estimated by a builder that, allowing for the lower walls and faunas tiona being intact, it would take £20,000 to replace the building. The following departments were located m the burned pile: — Post, Customs, Telegraph, Roslbtrar of Friendly Societies, Weather Office, Inspector of Machinery, Telphona Exchange and Laboratory. Besldeß there, the top flat was ocoupled entirely by the Postmaster-General's department and Accountant's staff The lobs m the Friendly Societies' Registrar's office will be serious, aa all the records on which valuations are based are deatroyed. Later Mm Davis, the caretater, is certain that the fire atarted m the mail bag room. She heard the breaking of glass, whioh no doubt was oaußed by the fiie bursting through the windows Into the court-yard, where it ran up the walls and appeared above, giving rise to the belief that the flames had burst through the roof before the bell rang, which was notaotually tie oaae. On the other band, the fire spread Immediately into the lift, and was there seen by Hart when the alarm waa given by Mrs Davit. Up this lift It ran to the top itorey, and consequently ita rapid •pread Ja easily acoounted for. As to the cause nothing la known. Great promptitude was shown m finding Dew quartera and currying on the public services, but by none more than the Telegraph Department. Dr Lemon, Mr Robertson and their officers worked so zealously that early m the afternoon communication was restored with the South, and by the evening with the rest of the oolouy. To establish intrumenta, ereot batteries, and bind severed wires m a few hours, reflects great credit on the Department. Thoy have leased new premises for two years at £600 a ' year, whioh Is ominous aa to the time expeoted to elapse before the offices are rebuilt. The newly-erected eleotrfc light m«« ohlnery, costing £500 or £600, is completely destroyed. The dock m the tower cost £900. The project rf getting a steam engine was mooted on the ocoaelon of the last fire, •nd will probably be seriously considered after this morning's oatastraphe. A powerful engine on the harbor brink would have been of as much servloe aa the whole of the jeta supplied from the Walnal mains, Wellington, April 29. It tares out that there were no buckets or hose to be found m the Post Office yesterday. When the fire was first discovered both telephone, clerks and policemen hunted m vain. Had there been a few backets policeman Reddell Is confident he could have materially cheoked the spread of the flames up the lift. It waa this lift, apparently, which spread the flames through the top storey In so unaccountable a manner. A cardinal mistake the firemen made waa m not going to the top of the building, round the roof of which a substantial platform ran. This ia precisely the same error made at the last fire, bub for wbioh Johnston's bond wonld not bavejsnffered during the fire: Mr Gray, Secretary of the Pout and Telegraphs, tried m vain to obtain a ladder to reach his room at the far end m the top storey but neither brigade nor anyone else seemed to have one long enough, showing that the fire prevention plant ia far from perfeot. The loss m the Telegraph Office is estimated at £1500. A number of private peraonß lose valuable books, and etc ; all uninsured.