PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2317, 31 January 1884, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

[new ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.! FIRE AT HELENSVILLE.—TWO MEN BURNED TO DEATH. Auckland, January 30. The Kaipara Hotel at Helensville and the extensive stores of M‘Leod Bros, were burned last night. John Harris, the cook, and Mooney his assistant, were burned to death. Only Harris’s body has been recovered, but several fragments picked up are identified as portions of the other man’s body. The Public Hall and several private residences were only saved by the efforts of a number of bushmen with axes, who happened to be on the spot, and cut a butcher’s shop up to pieces, which were removed, preventing the farther spread of the fire. The total damage is estimated at several thousand pounds. Two children of the landlord had a narrow escape, M'Lellau only rescuing his little ones by an extraordinary exertion. John Harris is a single man, and well known in the timber trade ; John Mooney, is a stranger in the district and believed to be single. The following are the insurances in connection with the Helensville fire The National had £1350 on the Kaipara Hotel, and £SOO on the stock, of which there was reinsured £SOO in the South British, .£350 in the United, £3OO in the North British, and £2OO in the Norwich Union. The Imperial had £350 on the hotel building, of which £2OO is reinsured in the Norwich Union. M‘Leod was insured for £I2OO on the stock, reinsured in the Union and Royal for £SOO each.