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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 856, 2 November 1870, Page 3

The total amount collected in Canterbury towards the Lyttelton Relief Fund amounted up to the 28th ult., to ,£853 17s lOd. A. correspondent of the Wellington Independent reports that on Tuesday, the 18th October, the flax sheds of Messrs Wood & Sons were totally destroyed by fire. All the machinery, press, &c, used for flax dressing purposes, and all the farming implements, thrashing and chaff cutting machines, harness, &c, were destroyed. There was besides a quantity of flax that was ready for shipment to Wellington. The fire was discovered about 4 o'clock in the morning, and is thought to have been the act of an incendiary. We take the following from the Canterbury Press, October 28: —Eckersley and Cor's flax works at Flaxton were burned down on Thursday morning last. The men work at scutching it appears all night, and about 4 a.m. on Thursday, whilst at work, they observed the whole scutching room in flames. It is a small building attached to the larger building, in which latter the stripping and other operations connected with the works are carried on. In about a quarter of an hour both buildings were down. They were entirely of wood, with zinc roof, and quite recently erected. It is surmised that the fire originated from the friction of tow on the spindle of the scutch. The damage id estimated at £SOO, none of which is covered by insurance. The storehouse, in which were several tons of fibre, being detached a good distance, escaped.