TWO FATAL FIRES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4812, 18 February 1925, Page 2

TWO FATAL FIRES.

LADS BURNED AT MURCHISON. ONE DIES IN HOSPITAL. MURCHISON, yseterday. A fire, attended with fatal results, occurred at Newton Flat at 3 o’clock this morning, when a whare occu-r: pied by two lads, Charles and Arthur. Curtis, aged twelve and eighteen re-, spnetively, was burned down. The lads got out, though badly ' burned, and were conveyed to Murchison hospital by motor. They were attended to immediately by Dr. Page. The younger lad, who received the', worst burns, died after admission tor , the institution. - OUTBREAK AT STRATFORD. BODY AMID THE ASHES. r" . STRATFORD, yesterday. A four-roomed house on the ake Road was destroyed by fire abottak/ midnight. - When the fire had subsided 'remains, which are held to be those' ofeS Herman Ringer, an old man wholia‘|o lived alone on the property for-iSSs years, were found. ■ . -Si request for a courthouse co be lished on the Hauraki Plains statihS|| that the matter would receive ’conS|| sideration. ■ ’ " '"3ai SHIPPING MATTERS. 'WI Captain Raines, of the £s. Waipmg|| attended by invitation and many matters in connection shipping and freights. , During the discussion it w r as point-?-, ed out by a member that the dues at Auckland were almost as£ much as die freight from riqko ports to Auckland,. POSTAL FACILITIES. ; 'Joinplaints were voiced the non-delivery of telegrams at Ngar - tea owing to the fact that no message , boy was employed. It wias pointed out’- : that the telegrams delivered were-;. - carried by the postmaster duringslack periods, and there was frequent-., ly a big delay. ’ It was decided to address the chief-, postmaster at Thames on the subject. The delay in obtaining ■ communication with Auckland waementioned, and it was decided to coni-' municate with the district telegraph- .; engineer and ask for a direct line to Auckland from the new office. A suggestion was made by Captain - Raines that representations should be\ made to get mails carried by thq? Auckland steamer, and this COurSStT was adopted. ■ STEAMER FREIGHTS. The matter of a reduction in the freight on vegetables from the Plains to the Auckland market was brought up, and it was decided that the shipping company be written to and ask-. J ed for a reduction on this class ot . deck cargo. It .was pointed out-that- .. a considerable trade could probably. be built up. MENACE TO SHIPPING. The fact that bundles of flax werr : permitted to float on the river, caus---ing a menace to shipping, wasbrought up by Captain Raines, who’ , mentioned that should one of these be 1 picked up by a steamer’s propeller S' 1 .; considerable delay would be caused/" During the present hot weather such' a delay might seriously affect the' grading of the butter. Several launch— jj es had picked up bundles of flax. . I t was decided to communicate with’, > the Marine Department on the matter. :