ORPHANAGE BURNED.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 876, 28 April 1903, Page 4

ORPHANAGE BURNED.

INMATES’ NAIIRROW ESCAPE,

Bv Telegraph—Press Association, Nelson, last night,

A little before three this morning the Boys’ Orphanage at Stoke was completely destroyed by fire. Mr Fitz Gerald, the head master, states that at about half past two he discovered the lire, and traced it to the boys’ dressing room in the upper storey and at the north-east of the building. In a very short time the lire spread. Ho at once removed -two boys who were in the hospital and got tho other boys from the burning place. There were 112 boys in the institution, and so far as could bo ascertained all were got out safely and without mishap, but they escaped in their night - clothes, though some secured blankets. A small harmonium and some few other things were saved from downstairs, but tho lads were left without clothes to wear. A few further details of the fire are to hand. It is believed the insurance was JfoOOO, the estimated loss is «GIO,OOO. No lives were lost. All the boys arc safely housed.

In connected with the Stoke Orphanago fire, one boy named William Nelson, Siycars old, is missing. Ho was supposod to have been seen by the boys after tho fire, but when tho roll was called he was missing. Search parties were out all day on tho hills, but ho has not been found. Tho insurances are I&OOO on the building, JMOO on the furniture, and iIOO on the workshop, in the South British. Of this sum L’IOOO is re-insured in the National, and i£oOO in tho New Zealand oilice.

Tho splendid discipline at the school ensured tho saving of tho lives of tho whole of the boys except tho lad who is missing, and he may bo on the hills. When tlie fire broke out tho schoolmaster, Mr Beach, marshalled tho boys, and sent them back for what they could save. Ho marched them downstairs like a troop of soldiers. Tho loss over insurance is estimated at about ,£IO,OOO. Tho boys are housed at present in a woolshcd and other outhouses, and a supply of clothing was at once forwarded shortly after daylight. Donations of clothes, books, etc., are greatly needed, as everything was lost.

Upon the question of electric light for Auckland, Mr 0. J. Parr, one of the aspirants for municipal honors at the coming election, says that according to Mr Goodman's report it is hopeless to look to water power as a means of generating electricity lor Auckland, and steam power would require a capital of .C7J.000 to start with to enable the Council to supply electricity at something a little under the present cost of gas. He thought the matter would have to be more fully thought out before the city was committed to an expenditure of .£71,000 for a doubtful advantage. Ho thought they should wait until they saw what the Government intended to do with the Huku Falls, fur if the Government brought in the electricity he thought the city could buy it from the Government cheaper than they could make it. If there were ever overwhelming reason

for the resumption by the State at a fair valuation of landed property it is to be found in the policy of the Assets Board, which does not even observe customary business principles. A body holding vast

tracts of land within the settlement area is none the less a public nuisance when it sets itself against legitimate settlement and reasonable sale because it has been instituted by Act of Parliament for the very purpose which it appears to ignore.— Auckland Herald.

Among the advantages which would accrue from the establishment of a Greater Auckland, the fostering of a stronger and healthier municipal spirit is not the least. Although the local elections are now upon us, it cannot he said that they excite the warm and intelligent interest called for by the choice of what should be local parliaments. This is largely due to the separation of interests and the weakness of civic spirit, caused by our medley of local authorities, all working m what is practically one town. Those who pass their days in one place and their nights in another frequently end by being indifferent to both. At any rate, they must lack that concentration of political thought which

most men iind necessary to conscious civic patriotism. We hope to see this weakness in our Auckland organisation removed in the near future and to see a strong local parliament arise from the ashes of the present scattered and comparatively impotent representative bodies. Apart from other good reasons, it will perhaps be held more honorable to sit in such an assembly, and we may thus secure more healthy rivalry among our best citizens and their friends than we can boast of now. —-Auckland Herald. The Palmerston Times says that the present haphazard cbop-and-change beg-gar-your-neighbor method of fixing dates of agricultural shows is detrimental to the best interests cf the associations affected,