Fire at Otaki.

Manawatu Herald, 14 March 1903, Page 3

Fire at Otaki.

THE COLLEGE BUILDINGS DESTROYED. Great excitement was caused in Otaki last night (Tuesday) when an alarm of fire was given at about 11 v.p)., and it soon became known the Native College was ablaze. Jr Chorley, ]un., was the first to notice the fire. Being a moonlight night, he was taking exercise on the College grounds, when he saw smoke and flames emerging from one of the wings of the College. He at once gave the alarm and soon a good number of people gathered on the soone. The flames had already got snob a firm hold that it was impossible to think of staying the progress of the fire, and therefore the energies of those assembled were devoted to

saving furniture, etc. Twu pianos and most of the furniture of the front rooms were removed in safety, though* the work was rendered very difficult by the terrible heat. Many of the household goods in the dining-room and other parts of the building were destroyed. The blazo was a tremendous one, being by far the biggest ever seen in this district, the large old building burning furiously, and throwing out fearful heat, which made it impossible to approach within a considerable distance of the blaze... The whole country for miles around' was lighted by the conflagration. In a short time the lofty pile of buildings was levelled to the ground, and the assembled crowd dispersed to their homes. The fire commenced in a wing of the building used for a dairy. As no fire had been used in that part of the place for weeks past, no solution whatever can be given for the origin of the flames. At the time of the occurrenee the college was occupied by Mrs Jennings (the mistress of the school) and members of her family, and one native boy, & boarder at the college. All managed to effect their escape without difficulty. Mias Bannister and Jacobson, schoolteachers, who lived at the College, lost many of their personal effects. The building was insured with the Northern Insurance Company for £4OO, which of course was only a fraction o! its value, while Mrs Jennings had not a penny insurance on her furniture, and therefore is a heavy loser. One of the pianos was insured, but both instruments were saved. By the destruction of the college buildings, Otaki loses one of its best known landmarks, for the place was constructed nearly sixty years ago by the Native Mission under Bish >p Hadfield’a instruction. The build iae was a very large two storied one, probably the largest between Wolfiogton and Palmerston North and •rmprised a splendid and capacious schoolroom, and a very large dormitory, in addition to living-rooms for the teachers. Although such an old structure, its timbers were perfectly Bound, the whole place having been built of first-class heart of totava. In its early days the college accommodated some hundreds of Native children who were sent there from all parts of the district for education, but of late years little interest being taken in the institution, loss than a dozen children have been receiving education there. The destruction of the college will be a great loss to the Native Mission.—Mail.