THE LATE FIRE AT HOKITIKA.

Evening Star, Issue 3325, 16 October 1873, Page 3

THE LATE FIRE AT HOKITIKA.

The following further particulars of the fire which destroyed t\\e Bank oi hew Zealand wefd furnished bty the 'Hokitika Star k r SaMirday:- * The destruction of the Bank was complete, but how the fire arose is at present inexplicable. Mr Roberts, the manager, went to bed rather late, having been engaged in business, owing to the 4th of the month impending-. He went ;hrough all the rooms heforo' ratyring, and es' in'ilie" house was a'very sin all remnant in ine dining-room. About five o'clock in the morning,'he'was awakened by smoke in his ijd'om'," and he immediately went down and aroused Ins Mra who was in the Miss Brady, the goverpps'si, ajul'his children. The fire had obtained puch an ascendancy that they had only just time to escape, without saving anything. Jyjiss £rady roost courageously into, the chililj'MO'a bedtroom again, "in order to get them ppme clothes, but when there, was cut off by the fire underneath, and could not return by the stairs, Fortunately, her peril was quickly lenown. Some gallant fellows procured a ladder, and rescued her through the window. A more providential escape has seldom occurred.

Mr Roberts’s personal loss cannot be less than LI,OOO, of which not one penny is insured. The Bank is insured for between L 2,000 to L 3,000, we understand. The Empire, damaged to the extent of L3OO, is not insured, the proprietor paving allowed the policy to drop a few weeks since. The Bank of New South Wales Avas damaged, but not to a great degree, and a coat or two of paint will set it all right. The Harp of Erin Hotel was also scorched, and all the glass broken in it, and other trivial damage was done around. The Times of Monday j—Towards Sj^qrstrongroom was opened and the gA'fes removed to the premises lately occupied by Mr Hogg, but the gold, etc., was taken to the Bank of New South Wales. It would be difficult to state exactly the origin of the fire, but there Is every reason to believe that it broke out in Mr Roberts’s sitting-room on the ground floor, and that the fire place there had heated some wood-work in its vicinity—most likely behind it —which continued smouldering until ultimately it broke out into flames.