Hemp Mill Burnt.

Manawatu Herald, 29 November 1893, Page 2

Hemp Mill Burnt.

We are sorry to have to record that on Monday between the hours of eleven and 12 o'clock midday, Mr George Coley's hemp-mill was burnt down. As is usual in similar fires nothing is particularly certain as to how the five occurred, but ifc is supposed to have been caused by a spark settling upon the roof, as the scutcher noticed a spark resting on his shed and promptly put it out, and one of the hands at Austin's mill noticed the fire on the roof of the main shed before it was noticed by the employes. The mill became suddenly a blaze of fire which it was impossible to extinguish, though it i 3 situated on the bank of the river. The whole of the shedding, which was covered with iron, the engine, the stripper and scutcher are wholly or partially destroyed. The engine we understand can be restored. The Taliforuian pump was saved. The quantity of fibre burnt was small. Anyhow the loss is a serious one, and has occasioned much sympathy for Mr Coley, who has pluckily kept at the stripping, thus giving employment to many hands, though prices have not been satisfactory. It was only the other day that Mr Coley let the mill on terms to Messrs Simpson and Kruse to turn out the fibre at so much per ton. Mr Coley was away in Wellington.