FOUR AUCKLAND FIRES

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1925, Page 3

FOUR AUCKLAND FIRES

[by TEl.ECU.trn—per press association.] AUCKLAND, Sept. 13. Two files occurred in Queen Street ye-terday afternoon. Go, d work by the Eire Brigade minimised the damage on each occasion. The first tire was in the Commercial Bank, a stone building, the outbreak originating in a retiring room at the end of the passage on the second floor. The caretaker bad been engaged in ,-leaning a bank ofliee on Hie first floor, and was attracted by a smell of smoke. Four ro.mis at the seat ol the outbreak were badly damaged, the retiring room being gutted, while Hie adjoining ofliee. of Mr Ruddock, sharebroker, was damaged by lire and water. The third floor ofliee- were endangered, but the Brigade obtained control in time. The second outbreak was a couple ol hours later, in the wooden premises op-pc-itc the C niimercial Bank. The tire started in a passage outside the offices til' Bennett and Jacobsen, solicitors, on the first fin ir. Rooms adjoining t lie passage were damaged by lire and water. T iio Eire Brigade made a brilliant save. fur. bad Hm tire got beyond control, other wooden buildings on both sides, would probably have been destroyed. A more -,o ion- lire occurred at His Majesty's Ai.-ade. Queen Street. at half past twelve i Hi- morning. It is understood that ii originated near the lavatories adjoining Hie Chess (Tuft’s rooms ,ni tlm top floor. The Chess (Tub's rooms were completely destroyed, with their equipment, together with rooms occupied b.v Captain (Title (teacher of Navigation), and Davis and Rogers (engravers). About £IOOO damage was done by water to the Masonic Institute and the Club which occupies the two upper floors. 11l spit*, of the suspicious natures of the fires, there is n: evidence of incendiarism. although inquiries are being made by tile police. There was a fourth lire, in Fort St., vesterdav. Imt it was oiilv a trivial

The lire ill the upper pnriinn of the Commercial Bank nremises did considerable damage. Imt the banking [ratlins art' unaffected. Adjoining buildings, the Imperial Hotel and New Zealand Express Coy., were threatened but escaped. A lire in His Majesty’s Arcade. Queen Street, destroyed the Chess (Tub's rooms and damaged Clide's Navigation school. Davis and Rogers, engravers and Masonic Institute am! (Tub. THE INSURANCES. AUCKLAND, September 1 I. The tire in His Majesty’s Arcade al 12.30 '.mid-night) on Sun,lay caused damage estimated al about L',,000. The building was insured for L'lß.ooo in companies, including the New Zealand, Eagle, Star, and British Dominion'. The damage to the building is e-t ima ted at L’T.itnO. The theatre it--elf wa- uninjured. The (Tn-- Club -u-taiiieil a heavy loss. Ii has a polity in the Queensland Coy, but Hus will barely cover the los.-e-. The .Ma-ottie Club underneath wa- damaged to the ext,lit ol Clooll and was insured for 02,07)1 in tlm New Zealand Insurance Oliiie. Tim Commercial Bank Imildings in which another lire occurred on Saturday atternoon i- insured for £IB.OOO divided among the leading nfliecs. flic

retiring; room, where the lire broke out. \,a— ej: 1 led and He* ofliie ol Rud11iI k and ( oy, sharebroker-, damaged /by -moke and water, a- were al-o Hi l ' upoer st oi ey' ol the commercial chamber-, bin the ( omniereial Bank cilices were not, affected. The fire in the office- of the above premises above t !;.• -boo ol I !t:gll \\ I igllt , clot bier, i,‘suite'l in tile passageway, where the out break ua> di.-emcr.-d. being deluged with v. uler, which lea bed into ■ oimadjoining ofliee- and caused eoio-alo!-able damage tn stock ■ I. Ho floor ~| Hugh Wright'-. Wli.-ll the out In , al, wa - lir.-: not ~ ,' I. -moke wa- is-iio e iron tia Areado and window - on Hio north side ut the building. Betore the mat.bines arrived the flames wer,- ..hooting upward Irom tlm The hre , •. idontiy originate 1 in ike ('aretaker'- roi.m and lavatories adjoining the Ckc- ' b,b i n the lop tbi,,r. spreading oil both sides oi the corridor and taking in its onward march the Chess ( luh on tine side and the other rooms occupied by Captain 11. M. (Title (teacher ol naviga-

Uoii), ('. Sex lie -urgical boot inaniilact iner- ) and I. 11. Davies and W. O. IT Rogers t jeweller-, and engraver-). All tlicse rooms vvel'e destroyed with their eoiileiits. In L> minutes the llamcs were under control and hy 1.16 a.in. the outbreak had been suppressed. A number ot rooms mi the top tloor ineluding those occupied by Miller and Aheat'il -woollen merchants'.. W. W. MOonihc (Land Valuer) and .1. IT Rest (auditor and account ant) esenned only through the success that crowned the eflol'ts of the brigade. The chief sull'erer from the effects of the Water was the Masonic Institute and Club, occupying positions on the first and second tloois immediately beneath the Chess Club. Half an inch of water was covering the ||i,or of every room in the ( lull yesterday, including the lounges, library. and billiard room. Ihe green baize and cushioning of the lour large I, dial'll tallies lias been ruined, in fact-uio-i of the furniture upholstery will have to be renewed; that and other damage is roughly estimated at ClOdd, covered l.v a policy ot L'2.86(l lit the New Zealand ollice The majority ol the unices and rooms and lower Hours were nlfected by water. I lie occupants include A. M. I .oas by (chemist), Et|iiilab!c Loan and Finance Company. Miss Johnston Ironic llniir physician). 11. S. Morran (architect). ( . R. t.avcgaii and Coy (brokers and tiuancial agents), Muller and Co (engravers), National Collectors -trade assignees), Mas K. Colled.;c lladi- -’ am! i hildron’s haircut ting parlours). Creat Northern Land Estate Property .Agency, perial .Manufacturing Coy ol New Zealand. Mi-- Gwen Smith dressmaker). J. Preston and Son (tailors workroom), and the bulk More id A. Eccles tchem-i-t). In -pite of the .suspicions circum--t a nees ot all the outbreaks there is evidence that the fires originated from any other than a careless manner and the brigade authorities see no rea--eo for demanding a special polite investigation.