DISASTROUS FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1948, 3 January 1914, Page 6

DISASTROUS FIRE.

PRIVATE HOTEL DESTROYED. (By. Telegraph.—Pjscss Association.) Core, January -2. , A disastrous firo occurred at Mat aura early , this morning, and resulted ;n tlio complete {destruction. of. Jloffatt's Private Hotel of 34 rooms, T. J. Piereey's. (painter and paperhangcr) 'shop, pot- ; tipn of'M'Oonnell and Co.'s largo storo ; aiiJ stables attached to tho hotel.,

Presumably'tho fire 1 started In tho front of . the hotel, which was a largo two-story wooden building- It was discovered at 3.15 a.m. by Mrs. Jloffatt, who gave tho alarm to tho twenty peopio siaviiic in tlio house. The "stairs were found impassable, and . tho cliil(lren and women wero rescued by inalo boarders from tho upstairs windows. ■ Tho fire spread across tho street to Pieice.v's inflammable stock, and on tho other side across a wido right-of-way to M'Comiell's and tho.hotel stables.. "Tlio newest two-story portion of M'Comiell'a storo was saved.

There is no lire brigade at Mataiira, and no water was available,

Tho cause of the fire is a mystery. Insurances Hotel and stables, tlio property of Hugh' Cameron, in. the South British.for.£looo; Jiofflatt's furniture and effects iii 'the Now Zealand for £400; part of' M'ComrcH's affected,' in tho United for £4SO; If Connoil's stables, in the United, for : £115; M'ConnelVs stool?, which included fira-ss seed, milking machines, ote,, in: the United for £250; Piercey's shop, tho property of Mrs. James Smith, hi tlio United for £70; stock in tho United for £400.

The loss is considerably, in advance of these figures in most cases.