HOWICR BLAZE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 225, 23 September 1929, Page 7

HOWICR BLAZE.

CONVENT DESTROYED. SISTERS , HURRIED ESCAPE. NO FIRE FIGHTING FACILITIES THREE CHIMNEYS STAND. IN DEBRIS. Smouldering ruins and three gaunt chimneys are all that is left of the main building of the Star of the Sea Convent at Howick, which was found ablaze at 2.30 this morning. Forty residents fought the fire for an hour and a half, but all in vain. Four sisters were sleeping in the building at the time. Sister Gertrude waa awakened by crackling iianiCcj, and was startled by the reflection of fire in her bedroom window. She gave the alarm, and within a few minutes the 50 little girls were sleeping in a dormitory close by were aroused and rushed to safety. v In tho meantime, tiie gardener, Mr. P. F. Scholium, and his father (started to light tho fire. Within a few minutes residents rushed from all parts of Howick, and a bucket brigade was organised. Aβ the flames leaped, high, the whole of the sky was lit up, the reflection attracting neighbours from all round. With the poor water supply available on the grounds there was no chance of saving tho building of 11 rooms. The building had been up very many years, and the timber was as dry as tinder, so that it was not surprising that it burned like a bundle of sticks. There was only one thing left to do—save such furniture as could be got out in time. Wellorganised gangs managed to save about three-quarters of the furniture. Tho first things rescued were the sacred images and vessels in the chapel. Chimney Crashes. While a number of the helpers were inside the burning building rescuing furniture one of the chimneys came down with a craeh. Fortunately it fell outoutward instead of inward, and nobody was hurt. The fire fighters saved the waehhousa at the back, but the dormitory, in which there were about 60 beds, caught fire, and desperate methods were needed to save it. Two of the nurses lost all their belongings.

Furniture of all descriptions was distributed about the grounds this morning, "but later was stored in the dormitory. The children of the convent were taken by bus to the Takapuna Convent, where they will remain until their own place has been rebuilt. Two residents, Mrs. Sparksman and Mrs. Mclnncs, took charge of the children and provided breakfast for §0 hungry and startled kiddies.

For some time Howick lias been prospecting at Pigeon Mountain, trying to find a scmrce for a water supply. The fire shows the necessity for an adequate supply. Buckets of water were useless in tlie face of such a fierce blaze.