TWO FIRES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 January 1903, Page 4

TWO FIRES.

[PSR PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Duuedin, Jan g 5. A fire brode out shortly after midnight in F. A. Howper's furniture warehouse and factory, Octagon, which were almost completely gutted. The fire bad a good hold before the alarm was given. The stock was valued at about £2OOO and was insured for about J 6185, in the Manchesier £6OO, Commercial Union £3OO, New Zealand £250, Alliance £450, South British £250. The building was insured for £2OOO, in the National, New Zealand, Standard and Victoria £soo each Invercargill, Jan 24. A fire occurred about 5 p.m. in the wooden portion of the block known as Neil's, Dee Street, and destroyed most of the shop. C. Kiernan's upholstering place was also damaged. The premises of Burrell, photographer, and the stock of Bernston, tailor, suffered. Kiernan had just brought in some flax fibre which had been drying in the yard. This was stored under the stair and the returned workmen on the top flat immediately saw flames envelope the stairs, and going down saw the flax ablaze. They got most of it outside, but the walls were afire and the place gutted. His stock was insured for £2OO in the New Zealand office and valued at £3OO. The furniture, worth about £4O was saved. Kiernan does not smoke in the workshops and cannot account for the fire. No other insurance is ascertained. Neil's herbalist shop escaped.