FIRES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2073, 7 May 1907, Page 3

FIRES.

Press Association. AUCKLAND’, yesterday. A house in A'rgylo street, Ponsonby, owned by Miss Mabel Leys, am: occupied by Air. Martin Coulson, was partly destroyed by fire on Saturday night. The- building was tenaiitt-jl by Martin Coulson, confectioner, and Henry McDonald,’boat importer. Tb latter’s stock, whs . much damaged by water. It . was insured for £3OO i tiie Standard. Coulson lost every tiling, but his loss was covered by in suranco. Afrs.. Bailey, Coulson’.housekeeper, and three young children escaped in their night dresses through an upstairs window, being assisted from the verandah. The building was insured for. £6OO in the Phoenix. Macdonald was insured for £250 in the Standard.

BLAZE ON THE MOKOIA. DUNEDIN, yesterday. A quantity of tow shipped at Wellington on Friday last was found to ! bo on fire in the hold of tho s.s. Mo■koia shortly after midnight. Tho I tioublo was discovered when the lumI pers took the hatches off in order to j commence discharge of the steamor’s cargo. It is stated rain was falling when the tow was taken aboard at Wellington, which would enhance the liability to cause spontaneous combustion. The fire brigade were summoned and speedily extinguished the fire. The fire took four hours to oppress. Tho l'orehold contained 1200 bales of tow and flax, the principal shippers being Levin and Co., dattorson and Co., and Kaye ' and Carter, of Wellington. Tho ship’s hoses were playing within tliroo minutes of the discovery of the fire. Two hours’ work failed to locate tho immediate region of the outbreak, so it was determined to flood the lower portions of the hold. With this end in view 300 tons of water was poured into the ship, tho water rising to a depth of 12ft Gin in the hold. When the lire was extinguished the work ,f pumping out the hold was carried tm by the crew, but at noon, when he vessel left for Port Chalmers, hero was still Bft of water •below, aho damage done to the vessel was rifling, some of the woodwork on the op deck being burned. A general vverago of five per cent, was collect'd on the cargo to-day. The insuruices on the latter are unknown.