A BIG FIRE.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1924, Page 1

A BIG FIRE.

DAMAGE C(i0,(K)0.

[*IIY TELEGRAI-II —l*Elt PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, November 10. A disastrous fire occurred last night resulting in tbe destruction of the premises of Messrs Guthrie, llowron, and Co. Ltd.; oil and colour merchants in Albert Street. The building, which was of four storeys, made a spectacular sighl as it went up in flames. The adjoining premises of Messrs Cooke and -C'o., wine and spirit merchants, were damaged extensively by water.

Tbe brigade had a strenuous task in lighting the flames, and for three hours the Haines had the upper hand. A number of linns had offices in the building, these being burned out. They were: Guthrie, llowron and Co., Stanley, Newcomb and Co., wholesale stationers; John Dickson and Co Ltd; G. A. Bond and Co. Ltd., hosiery warehousemen; the Auckland Alillinerv Factory; Now Zealand 'J extiles Ltd. ; (jjdward Best and Co., manufacturers’ agents; anil Hunter and Sons, Ltd., clothier manufacturers. In aildiLion, Cooke and Co., wine and spirit merchants in adjoining premises sustained losses of stock due to the collapse of a wall, which crashed through the roof of IheiV building.

The fire started soon alter ten o’clock. It seemed to he out in half an hour, but suddenly it burst into activitv again, the leaping llames illuminating the whole city. The total damage is estimated at :■ limit (.'<50,(11 111. The building was insured for sixteen thousand in the North ern Insurance Company, while Guthrie, Bowrou and Co. had a cover ol thirteen thousand oil their stock in the same olliee. The company’s loss j s lu-avy. as a Christmas shipment, ninth tuchv thousand pounds, had ju~l been delivered. Stanley Newcomb’s insurance was L'-V-’oO in the Koval Exchange Assurance—th'eir loss fici'ng estimated at, at least, two thousand above that amount. Cooke and Co’s building was insured for three thousand, ami their stock for C-iOOO in the New Zealand am! South British Companies.