£60,000 FIRE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18232, 17 November 1924, Page 8

£60,000 FIRE.

AUCKLAND FIRMS SUFFER GUTHRIE, BOWRON'S BUILDING DESTROYED. (r»E3S association- mleqsam.) AUCKLAND. November 16. A disastrous flro occurred last night, resulting in the destruction of the premises of Messrs Guthrie.. Bowron and Company, Ltd., oil and colour merchants, in Albert street. The building, which was of four storeys, made a spectacular sight as it went* up in flames. The adjoining premises of Messrs Cooke and Co, wine and spirit merchants, were damaged cxten-' sivelv bv water. The brigade had a strenuous task in fighting the flames,; and for three hours the fire had the upper hand. A number of firms had offices in the building, those burned out being: Guthrie. Bo«.vron and Co., Stanley Neweomb and Co., wholesale stationers, .lohn Dickson and Co., Ltd., G. A. Bond and Co., Ltd., hosiery warehousemen. Auckland Millinery Factory, New Zealand Textiles, Ltd.. Edward Best and Co.. manufacturers' agents, and Hunter and Sons. Ltd., clothing manufacturers. Cooke and Co. sustained losses of stock duo to the collaoso of a wall which crashed through the roof of their building. The fire started soon after ten o'clock. It seemed to he out in half an hour, but suddenly burst into activity again, and the leaping flames illuminated the Avholc city. The total damago is estimated at about £60,000. The building was insured for £16,000 with the Northern Insurance Co., and Guthrie, Bowron and Co. had a cover of £13,000 on Ijhoir stock in the same office. The company's loss is heavy, as a Christmas shipment, worth £12,000, had just been dolivercd. Stanley Ncwcomb and Co. 's insurance was £2550 with the Eoyal Exchange Assurance Company, their loss being estimated at at least £2OOO above that amount. Cooke and Co.'a building is insured for £3ooo' and the stock for £SOOO, with the New Zealand and. South British Companies.