BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3292, 8 September 1873, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Auckland, September 6. The shares in the National Insurance Company applied for here now number 25,005. In the Turf Club’s programme, for the 26th and 27th December, just issued, there are two Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, with 2QO sovs. each added. There are eight other good prizes in the programme.’ 1 Q amaru, September 6. Some blocks of concrete have been successfully depostyeq t»he sitp of the breakw|tgir tiy means of the steam crane manufactured in Dunedin. The weather was fine at the time, and there were numerous visitors present. GREAT FIRE AT AUCKLAND. Auckland, September 7. The largest and most destructive fire that has ever occurred in Auckland, broke out in the centre of Queen street at twelve o’clock Ust njghj;. fjre was djspoyerea in Row : ley’s millinery establishment. The fire Brigades were soon on the spot, but water being scarce their services were almost useless, The whole of the west side of Queen street, from Victoria street to Newmarket House at the bottom of Cook street, is in ashes. So also is the lower half of Wellesley street. Altogether 68 buildings are down. The premises of Mr Whitson, brewer, Newmarket House, and the east side of Queen street, had a narrow escape, being several times on fire. A large number of the buildings destroyed were uninsured. The estimated loss of the various Insurance Companies is L 25.000, which is divided among the New Zealand, Norwich Union, Royal, and South British offices. The heaviest losers are in for about L 4,000 each. It is impossible as yet to gather correct particulars of the loss of each company. The balance is insured in the Scottish Commercial, Victoria, Northern, and Liverpool and London Companies. The total destruction of property is estimated at about L 60,000. Darby’s Thistle Hotel and two adjoining buildings were insured for LI,OOO in the New Zealand Company, and the stock And furniture fon L 7,000 in the Liverpool and London office. Mr Darby estimates his loss at L 4.000. The United Service Hotel, owned by Mp Hancock, was insured for about L3,5(J0, including the stock. Mr Hancock loses L 2,000, and on other properties altogether about L 4 000, being L 5,000 above his insurance. On the previous • day he had taken in LBOO worth of stock. The Anchor Hotel, owned by Mr King, was partly insirred. The Central Hotel, Owned ’by Mr WhitsonJ Was'insdred. The following is a T&t ©I the principal places'destroyed ■Queen street.—Darby’s Thistle Hotel ; premises of Cajey, baker j Smith, greengrocer } Young, butcher j Cprrie, blacksmith ; Neuipegep, pawnbroker; Page, Cental Hotel; Spbwariz, watchmaker and jeweller; Rowley, milliner; Jappesonßroa., pout warehouse; Mathieaop, confectioner j

Broad, locksmith ; Grey, confectioner; Blair and Lambert, grocers ; Watson, grocer ; Hancock’s United Service Hotel ; Marks, pawnbroker ; Bartlett, photographer ; Dunning, greengrocer ; Brookes, bootmaker ; Hemus, bootmaker; Williams, chemist; Aery, watchmaker; Henderson, bootmaker; Harrison, tobacconist; Marsh, grocer ; Saunders, tailor ; Barnett, pork butcher ; Furnner, watchmaker ; William’s Anchor Hotel; Lendrnm’s livery and bait stables. Wellesley street—'Webb’s Buildings ; premises of I'osseniskie, tailor ; Mair, grocer ; Coupland, hay store; Word, paperhanger ; China Bazaar. Several accidents occurred. Three firemen fell from a verandah, and one of them named James Fuljames was seriously hurt. A man named < harles Bowden dropped down dead in the street during the fire. Mr Williams, proprietor of the Anchor Hotel, broke a blood vessel, and lies dangerously ill. During the tire a N.E. gale was blowing. Heavy ram commenced immediately after, and has continued since.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. September 8. The fire has excited a great cy relative to the want of a water supply. No water was obtainable, and although the two fire brigades promptly attended, they were unable to do much good. The attempt to pull down Neumegeu’s premises to stay the fire failed. A strong gale blew the flames along with fearful rapidity, licking up the dry wooden buildings in a few minutes. The fire was stopped by the intervening spaces of the old market site, next to the Thistle Hotel, and Newmarket Place, at the bottom of Grey street. The whole of the intermediate blocks were burned out, the fire crossing Wellesley street. Many of the buildings were very old wooden structures, and it is believed that their clearance will effect a great improvement in the appearance of Queen street. The insurances are not yet reliably ascertained.