Youth’s Rescue From Fire

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 65, 20 March 1944, Page 5

Youth’s Rescue From Fire

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 18. With a sudden roar, accompanied by thick black smoko, stores of methylated spirits and polishing oils burst into dames on the top door of Faber's Furnishing Company in Courtenay Place yesterday afternoon. The fire spread with amazing rapidity. Three youths were on the floor at the time. Two escaped down the stairs and tho brigade, arriving quickly, saw tho other nearly overcome by smoke leaning out of a window. Then he fell back and disappeared. They climbed to the window. The first man had no respirator and kept close to the floor in an endeavour to find the youth. He was backed by firemen with respirators, but they found no sign. For a time the worst was feared, but tho youth was trying to find his way out. A clock machine, which the water is believed to have set going, gave him his bearings and he reached another window just as a fireman closed it tef prevent a draught. He put his fist through it, whereupon the fireman saw him and dragged him to safety. Meanwhile, the other youths had been trying frantically to get back to save their comrade, but the management stopped them on the stairs, it being impossible to effect a rescue that way. After a visit to the hospital the youth returned to the shop in the evening. The brigade confined the fire to the top floor. The extent of the damage is not yet estimated. Non-smokers are getting so scarce that the few remaining specimens ought to be stuffed and sent to a museum. When one is discovered he is generally of opinion that people wh.» siuoko ought to bo executed or something. He can no more understand the fascination that good tobacco has for the smoker than the chap who has no “ear” can understand good music or a blind person can appreciate a fins oil painting. Smoking makes his angry passions rise, and he deplores the colddrawn truth that the consumption of the weed is growing by leaps and bounds every year. Especially marked is the enormously increased demand for the genuine “toasted,” partly duo to its splendid qualitj*, and partly due to the fact that, being toasted and consequently practically free from nicotine, this matchless tobacco is so harm less. Its daily use affords keen enjoyment to smokers everywhere, some of whose joys are few and far between, nnd who find in Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Navy Cut No. S (BulldogL Cavendish, Biverhcad Gold, Desert Gold and Pocket Edition the comfort and so?-.ee they crave.