DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT WYNDHAM.

Mataura Ensign, Volume VI, Issue 285, 31 August 1883, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT WYNDHAM.

Between the hours of three and four o'clock yesterday morning the inhabitants of Wyhdham were* alarmed by the glare of a somewhat extensive fire. A considerable number of the inhabitants of the township, including our local representative, turned out, and it was than found that the premises known as the Wyndham Town Hall and Milne's Farmers' Arms Hotel were on fire . It would appear that tbe fire arose in the portion of the public hall immediately to the left on entering, abutting on a right ef way, and practically unoccupied. The flames rapidly communicated with Mr Rankin's shop next door. Mr Bankin waa absent at the time and only arrived too late to save anything of importance. Mt James Milne was one of the first to race the alarm, he being for the night staying in the hotel. He was aroused, he states, by the crackling of flames and the smell of smoke at about 3 o'clock. After raising the alarm he procured what assistance was available. There were several gentlemen staying in the house, among them being a clerk of the Bank of New Zealand and a surveyor. These in their anxiety to avert general loss suffered privately, Much alarm was felt from the " fact that the *vknd was blowing from a north* westerly direction and right on to a stable' and many other buildings in the vicinity, but the vigorous efforts of a number of thou concerned, combined with the opportune, occarrence of a shower of rain, the fire from spreading. The buildings destroyed a3 already indicated, consist of Milnes ( Farmers' Arms Hotel, the "public hall," with iwo shops iii front ; and Rankin's general store. Cons:able Fretwell wa* one of the first on the scene and contributed much to the saving of property. Inspector Buckley was in attendance early in the morning and his enquiries and investigations were of suoh a nature as to induce him to suppose that an inquest would be necessary. There are circumstances pointing to malice against Mr Milne, which corroborate the Inspector)! theory. The property saved was— from .the hotel — a quantity of furniture and a small lot of spirits ; from Rankin's store almost nothing, the owner having even lost his private papers ; and from the public hall, which was used as the meet* ing place of the Oddfellows, and contained the regalia of the Lodge, absolutely nothing was rescued. It is estimated that the loss of the Oddfellows amounts to £46. Tha hotel building aud hall belonged to Mr j, T. Martin, <of Invercargill, and were insurpd for the following sums ;— £«2s in tho HamburgMadgebcrg office, £- 00 in the National, and .C 375 in the TJnited. Mr Milne had also on the stock and furniture £360 in the New Zealand office a^nd £1 00 in the National. Mr Rankin was insured fsr £500 in the South British, £200 in the New Zealand, and £200 in the National. He states that the sum insured is only, about a third of his loss, and Mr Milne will a.so ü be a considerable sufferer. Mr Milne resumed business during the day, a stable Icing temporarily converted into a bnr.