NELSON.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 5, Issue 278, 14 June 1865, Page 3

NELSON.

(From the Southland Times, May 17.) Desthuctits Fiee ik Dee-steeet, Ikyeeoabgxi.li.—Once more we are called on to record the ravages of fire. The scene on this occasion was a building of almost inestimable value to the public, viz., the Southland Foundry and Iron Works, situate olf Dee-street. The establishment occupied a considerable portion of the space betweenDee and Leven-streeta, and’within its walls were contained all the machinery and utensils requsite for carrying on an extensive business in the foundry line. In less than an hour on Friday night the whole of this valuable plant was rendered useless. How the fire originated is not yet clearly r' 'wu, but the general opinion is that it arose from the flames in one of the furnaces coming in contact with the woodwork near it, and spreading thence over nearly the whole building. A few minutes after seven o’clock, a drayman, who was in an adjoining stable, noticed an unusual glare in that part of the foundry nearest Dee-street, and ho shouted an enquiry if any one was withiu. Receiving no answer, he hurried to the place and found that it was on fire. At this stage, it is stated that had half a dozen men with buckets of water been at hand, the flames could easily have been subdued, but unfortunately neither men nor water were there, and before they could be brought into operation that portion of the building was a burning mass. !No time was lost in giving the alarm, and the Fire Brigade mustered ou the spot with the greatest alacrity, but short as the period which had elapsed since its discovery the fire had obtained such a mastery in the building as precluded all hopes of saving it. The efforts of the firemen were therefore directed to the neighboring cottages, and it is gratifying to relate that the endeavors to preserve these were entirely successful. Meanwhile the flames raged in the foundry, and within little more than half an hour after its commencement the fire had destroyed the greater part of the building with its contents. The houses in its neighborhood were repeatedly in danger, but none were ignited, and the only loss sustained by their occupiers was in hastily removing furniture, <tc. We regret to state that Mr. Davis was entirely uninsured. His loss, which is estimated at £SOOO, may almost be regarded as a public one, inasmuch as there is little chance of the province being soon supplied with the same machinery. By the exertions of his employes the principal books and documents of the firm were saved, but the working stock-in-trade of the foundry may be considered as almost entirely lost.

(From the Nelson Colonist.) Wreck of the Grace Darling at Nelson.— Narrow Escape of Passengers. —At about four o’clock yesterday morning loud cries were heard, proceeding from the port, and upon several persons (principally called together by Thomas Alien), proceeding to the beach, at the harbor mouth, it was found that a vessel, in going out at quarter ebb, had got across the channel, and grounded on the reef of rocks behind the Arrow rock. The pilot boat having been brought from the station, proceeded to the spot, when the craft was discovered to be the Grace Darling, just proceeding out to Motueka, with half-a-score of passengers on board, and who, alarmed for their lives, were calling loudly for assistance. Their fears were not idle ones, for a heavy swell was coming down the bay, setting round the rock, and breaking over the grounded vessel with some violence, and the whole of her lee side was badly stove almost immediately after striking. With much difficulty and considerable danger from the broken water, the passengers were taken from the wreck into the pilot boat, and conveyed ashore ; after which hearty exertions were made to get the cargo out of her by boat and into a cutter anchored as close by as the water would allow, under the superintendence of Mr. Cross, who remained on the spot until all had been got out of her, and she was got off and drifted up the harbor to the Government wharf. The fact of there having been more than the usual number of lights at the port at the time of the occurrence, would lead to the supposition that there had been some carelessness in the management of the craft, and if so that some inquiry is requisite into the way in which lives and property were so seriously jeopardised ; for if it had not been for the arrival of the pilot boat, there is mi doubt that serious consequences would have ensued. The cargo for the most part was got away from the vessel by the strenous exertions of Thomas Allen, and assistant, who worked unremittingly with his boat in the hazardous business. The vessel was uninsured and is hopelessly damaged, the loss with cargo probably amounting to about £4OO.