A BLAZE AT RONGOTEA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 697, 23 December 1909, Page 7

A BLAZE AT RONGOTEA.

':• , FIVE ,PREMISES BURNED.;. :; v .:■'.:";' A FIGHT-TO BANK. ['}: 18l Tolisjrdph-SOTcliil OorresDonaenU ov U. 'v * v, Palmor9ton '' Dcc ember 22. ; Shortly Twfore three o'clock this moraine a serious iiro occurred in the township of Kongotea, about, twelve miles fromVPalnierston, by lvhioh Mrs. Good's boardinghouse, Mr. lteid's painters shop, Mr, Penny's-tailor's shop,' Gleesons largo gram store, and Mr. Woods's photo studio were completely destroyed. The grain store was unoccupied. . The; fire'.apparently Started in a-washhouse and stables attached ■v , toardinghouse, and.' at. ono stage the' whole township was threatened, as therowas only a limited water supply. ' Luckily, only a light easterly wind, was blowing, at the time, and the'whole; of the residents' set to work to prevent the fire spreading from tho' block in which_it .had originated. The boarders at' 'Mrs.: Goods, managed' to save: most, of "their effects, and some furniture was also got out Gleeson's unoccupied grain store at'the rear of the • boardinghouse was the next to catch alight, and Reid's paint shop took fire at the same time. Attention was now, directed to saving tho old Bank of New : Zealand'buildine across the road, for, if that had taken fire most' of Rongotea would '.have';beenw burnt'Willing helpers demolished all fences, 1 and removed other things likely- to \ cause a spread of the flames, • and a bucket brigade deluged .the banks promises., '~:..: ■ _ Mr. Reid's shop'wos the first to go, and then Mr. Woods s. photo shop, and lastly the premises of Mr. Penny, tailor. Mr. Glover's blacksmith's shop and 'coach factory was covered with blankets kept drenched witi water, ihe fire reached across the roadway at times, and threatened tho . Rongotea Co-operativo Dairy Company's offices.: Tho insurances were:—Boardirighonsc, ',€450 l nJ,° ,1 n ty Ti :. pffico J Reid's painter's shop, „«25 on.the building and .650 on the furnishing; Woods s photographer's shop, .£75 on the building; Penny's tailoring shop and dwelling, ,£3OO on tho stock and ,£250 on the building—oil in the New Zealand Office. .-, ,--'". A correspondent, .writing-ifrom.- Rongotea, it ml tho !jann was Bi T «n by Mr. Russell. The work of salvage was very energetically carried'on, but tho,efforts of the workers were much hampered by the fact that many, of; ll '«water tanks nearest to the fire .were' situated between the blazing, buildings, and therefore difficult or iinpossbfe to reach. The bank was saved by someone driving an <»se into th'e_ tanks,'■ this proving' of great assistance to the.bucket brigade.