GREAT FIRE AT GREYTOWN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5566, 30 January 1879, Page 2

GREAT FIRE AT GREYTOWN.

(per press agency.) Gbeytown, Thursday.

A great fire occurred here last night. It broke out suddenly through the roof of Steele’s boarding-house, which was soon in a blaze. The flames spread rapidly to the office of Mr. P. J. Beetham, solicitor, on one side, and then to the stores of Messrs. Caselberg and Co. on the other. Next the fire extended to the police station and court house, which were completely levelled with the ground. The post office was the next building in the block, but through the untiring exertions of the inhabitants it was saved, though on fire two or three times, the side of the building being much charred. The postmaster, Mr. Cowper, took the precaution to have everything remeved from the office, including the telegraph instruments, fixtures, books, and safe. The buildings on the opposite side of the street were much exposed, and suffered considerably from the intense heat. Fortunately there was no wind, otherwise nothing could have saved the whole of the buildings from the Wesleyan Church to the Bank of New Zealand. The inhabitants mustered in great force and worked most zealously to save property, buckets and tubs of water being passed from hand to hand from various wells. The telegraph lines were burned down, but so soon as the danger was over, the telegraphist, Mr. Cowper, and Mr. Shaw, the telegraphist from Carterton, with a party of men, restored communication quickly with Wellington by erecting wires temporarily and replacing the instruments in the Telegraph Office, thus saving interruption to the ordinary working of the lines north. The origin of the 'fire is at present unknown. The loss is estimated at £12,000. fULLER PARTICULARS. Shortly after eight o’clock last night flames were observed proceeding from one of the upper rooms in Mr. Steele’s accommodation house, next door to Mr. Caselberg’s store, on the south side. The alarm was immediately given, and a considerable crowd soon assembled. Every effort was made to get the fire under, but without success, the flames spreading with great rapidity, although there was but little wind. Mr. Caselberg’s large store was speedily enveloped in a sheet of flames, and although hose was kept continually playing, the fire was soon communicated to the stables and back store. The court house, police station, and constable’s residence successively caught fire, and were burned completely to the ground. The flames spreading in a somewhat southerly direction, then fired the office lately occupied by Mr. P- J- Beetham, solicitor, which was also destroyed, and it was with considerable difficulty that the post office was saved, Mr. Haigh’s butcher’s shop narrowly escaped. There was no lack either of water or of men, but the intense beat which prevailed rendered it impossible for any person to approach the burning premises. Mr. Caselberg's loss is estimated at about £6OOO. A largo portion of the stock was

saved, but it is greatly injured by fire and water. The premises destroyed were worth about £2OOO, and the loss will fall principally on Mrs. Moles and tho Government. Mr. Casclberg has secured Ridley's store as temporary premises, and opens his new stock from Masterton to-morrow. It is understood that Mr. Caselberg and Mrs. Moles were fully insured. The fire extinguisher used on Mr. Caselberg’s store was kept on the premises for contingencies. Almost all the drapery in Caselberg’s establishment was saved, but very much damaged by removal. This is the third fire which has happened on the spot, tho first being the ll'airarapa Mercury office and plant, and the second the store belonging to Mr. Phillips.

INSURANCES. The insurances on Mr. Caselberg's premises are as follows :—New Zealand office, store £SOO, stock, £1250, of which £SOO is re-in-sured in the Liverpool, London, and Globe, £SOO in the South British, and £375 in foreign offices ; the ATctoria, £SOO on stock ; United, £ISOO on stock, of which £750 is re-insured in the New Zealand office ; South British, £SOO on stock ; Imperial, £250 on store, and £250 on stock; National, £SOO on store, half of which is reinsured with the London and Lancashire Company.