A REMINISCENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1925, Page 1

A REMINISCENCE.

A FlllE OF 35 YEARS AGO

On Afarch 27, IS9O (.‘35 yeras ago tc - day) one of the largest fires experienced in Hokitika took place, when the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre situated in Revel I Street (alongside where Stephens Bros, drapery shop is now built) together with eleven other buildings were destroyed, ihe alarm was given at 5 10 o’clock in the morning. The lire broke out in the stage portion o ftlie Theatre, and the huge building which extended from r J altered to Roveil Streets and had seating accommodation for 1600, was soon a mass of (lames. The whole structure was destroyed together with adjoining buildings. These were AI. Levy’s grocery store. Airs H. Levy’s Westland Hotel, C. Ogilive’s cottage and stables, Johnston and Cos. hardware store and a couple of small tenements (all on the south side of the Theatre), T. Bollock’s hairdressing saloon and an empty shop adjoining and two small cottages (on the north side of the Theatre.) The flames went across the street and completely demolished G. Schaef’s large cabinet-making & fancy goods warehouse and residence, A. Sargisou’s bakery, H. Aloses fruit shop., Hawkins bakery was partially destroyed and AlcGoldrick’s Club Hotel was hadlv damaged. All the places along the street suffered much damage hy removal of goods.

It is worth mentioning that the Theatre was put together in Sydney and was brought over to Hokitika and erected in a month, Air H. Bartlett being the proprietor. The work of the Fire Brigade was very successful in stemming the disaster, which at one time threatened to engulf the whole of the premises in the vicinity. The steam engine worked sple.ndilv throughout and threw a great volume of water.