THE CHRISTCHURCH FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2111, 10 February 1908, Page 2

THE CHRISTCHURCH FIRE.

the insurances. ruins still smouldering. clearing away the debris. AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Feb 9. Hie subjoined lists give details 0 f die net risks held by the various in suranco companies over the properties destroyed and damaged at tlio recent fire. It is to bo noted, however, that tho figures do not disclose tlio actual amounts to bo paid over to the various firms interested, as in practically every case tho companies fiavo divided their risks by reinsurance!;, and the totals given indicate only the net amount of their holdings, minus tlio reinsurances. Re-' insurances in many instances were effected with Homo companies, and tho amounts of these are not -disclosed. The gross amount to be paid by the companies, it is estimated, will exceed £300,000, and the net •risks held by tho several companies are as follows:

Royal: Ashby, Borgh, and Co., £3OOO stock; Ha Bernstein Bros., £SOO stock, £250 fixtures; Strange and Co., £IOOO building, £7OO stock; Hulbert and Sh-aymaker, £SOO on stock; Strange and Co., £2OO stock; White Hart Hotel, . £5500 building; Freeman’s, Ltd., £SOO building;"Malcolm and Co., £3500 stock; Clifford, £1750 stock and furnishings; D.1.C., £BOOO building and stock; Bakery, £4OO stock; Reynolds and Kenvig, £SOO dock.

Victoria: Gill Bros., £SOO buildings; D.1.C., £270 buildings, £730 stock; White Hart Hotel, £IOOO buildings; Ashby, Bergh, and Co., £2500 stock, £IOOO fixtures, etc.; W. A. Tribe and Co., £450 stock; Strange and Co., £IOOO building; Malcolm and Co., £IOOO buildings uid stock; D. Benjamin and Co., £SOO stock. Reinsurances, £2OO, not risks - £6950.

New Zealand: Strange and'Co., £1000; Tribe, £SOO stock; Freeman’s, £IOO buildings; ' Tucker, £2400 stock and fixtures, £6*3o stock in strongroom; (Staymakor, £2500 buildings, £BOO fixtures and fittings; White Hart Hotel, £4OOO building; Warded Bros., £1750 building and contents and bacon factory; D.1.C., £2500 building and contents; Hallenstein Bros., £1250 stock; Beniamin and Co., £l7O building. Alliance: Strange and Co., £3OOO stock; Hulbert Staymaker, £IOOO stock; White -Hart Hotel, £4OOO building and £IOO warehouse in the rear; Benjamin, £ISOO building, £2500 stock; D.1.C., £1750 building, £4750 stock; Beath and Co., £2OOO stock.

South British: H-allenstein’s, £875. building and stock; D.1.C., £IOOO building and slick; Strange and Co., £IOOO stock; Tribe, £750 building; Malcolm and Co., £IOOO stock; Ashby, Bergh, £ICOO stock; Staymaker, £220 building and £650 stock; Freeman’s, £250 si :ck; White Hart Hotel, £SOO build’ug. Liverpool, Tendon, and Globe: Malcolm and Co., £3500; Mainel, £2OOO and £IO9O reinsurance; Tribe and Co., £500; D.1.C., £2000; Gill, £500; Strange and Co., £2OOO. Total £10,500. The company also holds £SOOO on the Bank'of Australasia, which was not seriously damaged. Norwich Union : White Hart Hotel, £1000;' Wardell’s Bacon Factory, £200; Strange, £2000; D.1.C., £749 I9s 2d; Beath end Co., £I7OO. Total £7449.

Commercial Union : Ashby, Bergh, £2000; D.1.C.. £2500; Beath and Co., £ISOO. Total £6050. Sun: Strange and Co., £IOOO building; D.1.C., £SOOO building. National: Benjamin and Co., £IOOO stock; Gill Bros., £2OOO building and £250 fittings; Hallenstein’s, £550 building; Sorensen’s, £BOO buildings; lott Bros., stock and fittings £3OOO •Walker and Co.. £IOOO stock; 3.1. C., £730 stock and £270 buildings; Ashby, Bergh, and Co., £IOOO took; Hulbert’c, £275 fixtures, £4OO stock. _ '■

Atlas: AVardell’s, £.4100 building md Stock.; 'Benjamin and Co., £IOOO took. His Worship the Alayor received he following telegram from the Preaier, the Bight Hon. Sir Joseph lYard, to-day:—“His. AVorshin the Mayor, Christchurch. —I heard with he deepest regret of the disastrous ire that has occurred in your city, .ml by which a large number of your •ellow-citizens have suffered a severe inancial loss. In addition to the .hrowing-out of work of a large manlier of employees, which is a most serious matter, and I tender my earnest sympathy both to the employers aid the employees. I feel sure, liowiver, that those concerned will, with he characteristic pluck and energy _>f our people, make the best'of.a had oh, and .quickly overcome the diffiuilties brought about by the great lisaster.—J. G. AVard.”

The ruins of the big fire are still smoking vigorously, and occasional dames’ make their appearance among the ruins. In spite of the enormous quantity of water that has been * pumped iu by the brigade, the debris * inside is scorched, and the shattered walls of the D.I.C. building seem to contain still a good deal of inflammable matter, as several small fires could be seen this morning. Probably it will be at least a’ week before it will be possible to start the work of clearing away the ashes, as some of the wads at present standing are obviously in an unsafe condition, and they will h ive to be pulled down as soon as possible.

The White Kart Hotel frontage is fairly safe, but the front wall of Ashby, Bergli, and Co.’s building, uid the adjoining premises, is cracked extensively, and several pieces have fallen. The D.I.C. walls in Casliel-street and Lichfield-street have been partially demolished, and the walls of AYardell’s factory, facing the right-of-way, have been pulled down, filling the right-of-way with bricks.

Negotiations for the rebuilding operations have been opened in several instances, but it will be some timo before any definite plans are prepared. There is no doubt, however, that ultimately . the appearance of the city will be improved as a result of the fire. '

The land covered by the fire'has, increased enormously in yalue during recent years, and owners will take-, tho opportunity to secure the maximum return from land available. This will mean large buildings in several eases. Abieiyed from'*'.’this*' standpoint, tho fire would have rendered a service to Christchurch had ? it taken the group of small wooden buildings further west in the block. AVorkinen commenced to demolish the front wall of Ashby, Bergh’s, burned out- yesterday afternoon, and tho proceedings afforded much .interest to a crowd of spectators. /

The falling brickwork badly bent the two new metallic circuit cables, which had just been repaired by the Telephone Department, and severed, from fifteen to twenty single telephone wires, causing them to sag almost to the ground for some distance along the street. It is proposed to pull the rest of the wall down. LIABILITIES OF THE COM-

PANIES. £ Lloyds (.London) 34,000* Royal ...’. 30,000 Alliance 23,000 Yorkshire 13,250 Royal Exchange ...., 12,560 New Zealand 10,200 London arid Lancaster 10,000 Liverpool, Londoia and Globe... 0,500 Northern 9,000 Victoria 8,000 North British and Mercantile ' 7,000. Commercial Union 7,000 South British • 7,000 Sun , / ,000 Guardian . 5,000 N.Z. Government Slate 4,700 Atlas 4,500 Standard National Fire and Marine....... 4,200 North Queensland is 3.500 Australian Alliance 3,000 United 2.300 Phoenix k....... ,750 Total £229,960

Tt i<s generally understood in insurance circles that the result ot ho fire will be practically a total loss +lia companies. Out ol the above total £3O 600 is held by the New Zealand panics and the State F?re Department, but of course there mar bo reinsurance, which will alter this proportion. At the same tune it is apparent that the English and Anqtralian insurance companies have had to be relied on for £199,000 of tho grand tfital, which gives sonic evidence of the extent to which Now Zealand is still compelled to rely on English offices for insurance cover.