DAMAGE BY FIRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 31 July 1929, Page 4

DAMAGE BY FIRE

WINE CELLARS GUTTED LOSS ESTIMATED AT £24,000 (By Telegraph—Press Association) NAPIER, This Day. Fire completely gutted two wine cellars at Mt. St. Mary's Mission Station, Grecnnieadows, last night, and destroyed nearly 24,000 gallons of wine valued at £1 a gallon. The Napier fire brigade was called to the scene at 7.30, but its task was a hopeless one from the beginning, as the only water to be had was from a creek 30C yards away. The flames had such a hold when the brigade, began operations that all attempts proved fruitless. The outbreak is believed to have had its beginning in the fusing of an electric wire in the ceiling of one of the cellars. It is understood that the insurance on the buildings and wine, which is held by the United office, will not nearly cover the loss. Much of the wine was prepared ready fo* export. CHRISTCHURCH INCENDIARIST ATTEMPT TO BURN POST OFFICE AND DWELLING CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. In connection with an attempt to burn the Shirley Post Office, the discovery was made when a letter collector called to empty the contents of the box. The postmistress, Mrs I. M. Palliser, who lives at the, office with two children, saw a man's feet on a ladder at the window of her bedroom at about 11.15 p.m. She hastily pulled down the blind and telephoned the police. The house is _ a wooden one and the letter box is built into the house, and had the box caught fire the office would have been burned.