FIRE AT FEILDING.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 46, 23 February 1901, Page 3

FIRE AT FEILDING.

[By Telegraph—Press Association.] Feilding, last night.

At midnight n disastrous lire broke oul in a block of business premises occupier b.y the New Zealand Clothing Factory M. Law, grocer; F. Butler, boot store ; AVnitclaw, saddler; A. Williamson, tailor; G. W. Fowlds, watchmaker ; W. E, Granthan, refreshment rooms ; they being all wooden - buildings, which were all destroyed.

The first four shops were owned by J. Hugh, Williamson owning the one occupied by himself, and Fowlds the other, a two-storeyed building. A brick building owned and occupied by E. Goodbcherc and 11. Mortensen, jewellers, was gutted. Woollanis’ chemist shop, also brick, was damaged, but the lire was here checked. The fire broke out at the back of Fowlos’ shop, apparently outside. With the exception of Granthan, Fowles, and Williamson’s most of the stock was removed from the shops, but it was greatly damaged in removal. The fact that two incipient fires occurred but were suppressed before the damage was done within the last month at the rear of the block, lends color to a suspicion that the lire was the work of an incondiary.

Granthan and fanr'y lived on the premises, and barely escaped with their lives, in .scant clothing.

11 was the most disastrous lire that has ever occurred hero, being one of the principal blocks of bus ; ness premises. It is estimated that the total damage exceeds 1:10,000.

The following insurances on buildings destroyed by to-day's lire are avaMablc : E. Goodbcherc, £~>oo in the Commercial Union on the building, nothing on the chattels; 11. J. Whitelaw, ,Gl5O in the National on the stock, Joss above that by about .0100; 11. Morton.soii, ,0000 on the stock in the National, loss above that by about I'.'jOO ; Marshall Law, .0150 on the stock in the Commercial Union; Williamson, stock' .0000 in the Royal, .0250 in the Norwich Union, .0150 in the Plucnix, and on the building ,0250 in the Standard. He is a considerable loser. Butler, .0100 in the Pliumix; Granthan, .0250 in the Commercial Union, loss above this .0500 ; Fowles, .0-100 on the buildmg and .0100 on the stock in the New Zealand. The New Zealand Clothing Factory’s insurances are not ascertainable. Hugh's building, .0700 in the Phoenix, loss .GI3OO above that; Woollanis, H4OO on the building in the Imperial, .0450 and .050 on the stock in the imperial and Standard respectively. Duxlield's saddler’s premises were also damaged.