THE LATE FIRE AT LYTTELTON.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 358, 5 August 1875, Page 3

THE LATE FIRE AT LYTTELTON.

The brigade were at work all Tuesday niebt, and it was not till yesterday morning the fire was thoroughly out. All I)r McDonald's furniture was moved out of his house to the Casual Ward and Morgue, and considering the excitement it is wonderful how little damage was done. A great part of Messrs Robinson and Sons' goods were removed, but they calculate their loss at £IOO, and they are totally uninsured. The building was the Hon H. Sewell's. There was a large stock at the Mitre, and the house was full of furniture, but a considerable quantity was saved, which was taken possession of by the National Insurance's Company's agent, Mr G. Mackay, and stored in the Government warehouse, next to the Custom-house. The building itself, the property of Mr J. T. Peacock, was insured for £IOOO. The inhabitants of Canterbury street, on the left side going up, removed a great many of their goods, as at one time there was a strong probability of the houses catching, Messrs Milne, Collins, Ayers, and others injuring their pioperty to a certain extent by removing it. The Royal Hotel was protected by wet blankets. Several pf the lodgers at the Mitre have Buffered considerably, one gentleman, a passeDger by the Thomas S. Stowe, named Dr Froggett, losing £2lO in Bank of England notes, besides all his clothing. It is, of course impossible as yet to estimate the loss sustained, but it is very considerable. The police did wonders under the direction of Sergeant-major O'Grady, who was indefatigable, and directed everything. Captain Burnip, of the fire police, managed his men well, and Mr J. S. Willcox did more good than can well be told, by seeing that the things that were brought out were properly placed, instead of being heedlessly thrown down and smashed, as is usually the case. When all that could be rescued was arranged on the quay, the things were covered with tarpaulins and fenced round with barrels and ropes, a number of lanterns from the Orphan Asylum being placed on the casks. By this means the regular and fire police were able without difficulty to stop all attempts at pilfering. The insurance agents and a great number of visitors from Christchurch visited the ruins during the day. Mr Sowden, the jmperintendent of the Lyttelton Fire Brigade,

never left the fire till mid-day yesterday, and his assistants were no less indefatigable. The inhabitants of Lyttelton may be congratulated on having men in their town, who with such wretched materials, with a hose that was expected to burst every minute, and other appliances of an equally inferior nature, could boldly face such a fire and overcome it.

Dr M'Donald's house, as well as Messrs Robinson and Sons, is we believe the property of the hon H. Sewell, the latter was an old building and uninsured. The following particulars regarding the Mitre may be interesting. The section was selected by Miss Bowen as the town section given by the Canterbury Association to the first purchasers, Miss Bowen's being the third choice. The Mitre was opened as an hotel before the first arrival of immigrants in Canterbury in 1850. It was built by Messrs Hornbrook and Cornpton, the part recently used as a diningroom being the original building. The main building was erected io 1851. When it was built it was the best hotel in the Canterbury block. The first public meeting ever held in Canterbury was held at the Mitre in 1851, for the purpose of petitioning that Canterbury might be made a separate province. The first public dinner and first public ball were also held in the Mitre in the same year. It has neon since in the occupation of Mes3rs Cuff, Julian, Wheeler and Nurse, Savage, and Saunders, who have met with varying success.