NORTHERN INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 8 February 1866, Page 1

NORTHERN INTELLIGENCE.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE in HOBSON-STREET, AUCKLAND. TWELVE HOUSES CONSUMED I (New Zealander, 27th January.) The most extensive and disastrous fire which has occurred in Auckland since the burning of the Q.C.E. and Shonland-crescent, took place last night in Hobson-street—when no less than twelve houses were burnt to the ground, entailing an immense amount of loss of property, and endangering the lives of a number of persons, who were thus suddenly thrown from their homes to seek shelter as best they could in the houses of friends or strangers. From the lateness of the hour at which the fire broke out, and the great confusion and excitement which necessarily followed, it is impossible to be exact in every particular, but we believe the following account is pretty nearly correct. We are unable in our present issue to state the names of all who suffered by the conflagration, but in our next we will do so, together with the amount of the property destroyed. About a quarter past eleven o’clock, as Mr C. F. Mitchell and another gentleman were passing the two unfinished houses next that of Mr Black, in Hobson-street, they observed a light under the flooring of the shop, which occupies the lower floor of one. They at once raised an alarm, at the same time making a more careful examination of the surrounding premises, when they discovered that the house of Mr Henderson was also on fire, and that smoke was issuing from various parts of the building. They at once made an alarm at the door, but uo one appearing they burst it open, and the inpiates were fortunately aroused and assisted into toe street. Mr Henderson was partially suffocated with the smoke, and Mr Mitchell and some other gentleman had to wrap him in a blanket and carry him into the street. By this time the two unfinished houses were completely in the power of the flames, which broke forth from every window, throwing a glare of light upon the surrounding houses and thoroughfares, which latter now swarmed with sightseers hurrying to the scene of the catastrophe. And at the same lime the fire-bells began their warning clang, bringing fresh hundreds to the scene of destruction —and destruction it really was, for it became evident that the two houses to the right must be destroyed, as also those to the left, one of which was occupied by Mr A. Black, and theu the scene became most heartrending, for the inhabitants turned out of their houses in both directions, and the street was, in a very few minutes, strewn with articles of furniture, which were brought from the houses by hundreds of willing volunteers, ami thrown down topsy-turvy in one continuous line along the road, their almost frantic owners rushing about half-dressed as if distracted. By this time a body of police bad arrived, under the able superintendence of Mr Naughton, our indefatigable commissioner, who at once formed Lis men in line around the property, which now lay piled up for three or four hundred feet—chairs, tables, bedsteads, choffoniers, looking-glasses, drawers containing liueupartly strewn about, and every conceivable article of household furniture. Besides the police, Lieut. Fleury, of the 50lh Regiment, arrived on the ground about half-au-hour after the fire had broken out, and did good, service by keeping the crowd back, &c. We also observed Colonel Dwyer, of the 14th, and a number of our leading townsman—among them being Messrs Bain, Swanson, Cadman, Dr Hor e, &c., &c., all of whom did their best to be of service, either assisting manually, or giving advice as to the best course to be pui’sued under the circumstances; and, indeed, it was difficult to say what was the best course, for the engines had not yet arrived, and three houses were in flames. Volunteers were found by hundreds who assisted in pulling down the various wooden adjuncts which endangered the adjoining houses, but it was of no avail, for the wind was blowing strongly at the lime and house after house caught and was rapidly destroyed, leaving nothing but the bare chimney stack to mark the spot on which it had once stood. By this time the two engines had arrived under the superintendence of Mr. Anderson

foreman of worksofthe City Board, butforsome time no water could be found. It was hoped if water had been at hand to save the Medical Hall and two adjoining shops and houses which constituted part of the same block—but it was not to be, for before the necessary supply could be procured, the tali block had caught and was in a few minutes one mass of flames. And here it was that there seemed to be a want of all kind of control or organisation in the fire brigade, who had taken their engine to the back of the block and had at length hit upon a well of water, for no sooner had the roof end of the tall block caught than the volunteers—well meaning no doubt broke—broke the whole of the windows belonging to the three shops, thus letting in a flood of wind which speedity converted the three shops into one mass of fire. And now the engines had begun to play, but unfortunately their efforts -were of little avail for the well contained but a small quantity of water, and in a very few minutes it was emptied, and the engine pushed uselessly aside in a thicket of bushes in the rear of one of the houses. The fire by this time had spread to the hack of the block and communicated to a small house between Hobson and Yincent-streets, and fears were entertained for the safety of Vinceut-street itself, as the wind was blowing strongly in that direction at the time. The inhabitants of these houses were all alive at the back, covering the roofs of their various domiciles with wet blankets, coats, and whatever else came to hand, upon which the showers of sparks fcdl without doing any damage. In the meantime the fire had reached the end house of Mr Goodwin’s block, and seriously threatened the next detached cottage. Upon this all the hopes of the authorities were centred. It was of brick, and if the fire could be stopped there, the rest was comparatively easy, but if it spread to the next house, which was of wood and detached from it some few yards, nothing could save twenty or thirty more houses, and the fire would in all probability spread to Vincentstreet, and cause incalculable destruction among the closely packed houses. Fortunately at this time the water cart arrived, and into this the hose of the larger engine was inserted, and the wafer was soon flying in a continuous stream upon the roof of the brick cottage—Mrs Cox’s—which was now in a blaze. Luckily the wind fell about this time, so that the task of subduing the flames was not so difficult as before, and after gutting Mrs Cox's house it there smouldered, not having power to reach the next house, upon which a copious supply of water had been ejected, and the great fire of Hobsonstreet might be said to be over, although there was debris blazing along the whole line of route which had marked the progress of the flames. And looking along this route nothing met the eye but twelve gauat stacks of chimneys glaringly red from the reflection of the fire, where but half an-hour before had stood an equal numbqr of houses, wrapped in calm repose, and sheltering in sleep some hundred persons who were now houseless and homeless, sorrowfully looking upon the wrecks before them, and upon the heaps of furniture which were scattered indiscriminately around. During the night the scene of desolation was patrolled by a strong body of police, all armed, whose duty was to protect the vast quantities of furniture and other property lying about in all directions, the owners of which in most cases were kindly received for the night in the houses of their hospitable friends and neighbours. When the conflagration was at its height there could not have been less than 4000 persons present.

An inquest was held on the 27th ult., at which the following verdict was returned:— “ The jury are unanimously of opinion that the fire Which broke out in Mr M‘Coskrie’s building in Hobson-street, on the night of Friday, the 26th January, was not accidental in its origin ; but by what person or persons such incendiarism was committed, there is not at present sufficient evidence to show. The jury also desire to express their disapprobation of the conduct of Henry Richard Jury, one of the contractors, in stating his motives for effecting an insurance on ths said building.”