FIRE AT BLENHEIM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 29 January 1908, Page 34

FIRE AT BLENHEIM.

BLENHEIM, January 23. A large fire, right in the heart of Blenheim, broke out early this morning somewhere in Mr James Benning s block of wooden buildings between the Bank! of New Zealand and the Masonic The alarm seas not given till 5.30, but .it is thought that the fire must have been burning since as early as 3 o'clock. When the brigade reached the scene of the conflagration the flames were sweeping 3iOros3 Market street, tossed by a fairly strong southerly wind. Itf appears that the outbreak occurred downstairs under Messrs Anstiee and Co.'s drapery establishment. It was soon seen that the brick- -wall of the bank premises, which buildings embrace also a tobacconist's (Patchett'a) and a tailor's (lies) shop, would probably stay the progress of the fixe northwards; indeed, after all is 6aid and done the fire only stopped where it met in each quarter a stubborn wall of. brick. Benning's big grocery establishment, . and Reynold's cycle shop (immediately south of Anstice and Co.'s) were s«on fully ablaze, and the brigade's attention was concentrated on the Masonic Hotel, a wooden building to the south, across Wynen street, and the premises of Miller and M'Kay, ironmongers, across Market street, west of Benning's. Very soon the hotel was also ablaze, and the heat in the narrow streets was overpowering, the firemen being often compelled to retreat to cover.

The wind being still fresh from the S.E., it was feared that the flames would secure a strong hold of Miller and Mackay's shop, and so go westward and engulf the Club stables and other buildings. However, the efforts of the brigade were successful in this direction, only the verendah being destroyed. Praeticaly nothing was saved from either Bemiing's, Reynold s, or Anstice and Co.'s.

Along Wynen street the fire swept everything as far as Bourke's brick wool store (on the northern side), and A. Bowman's grocery shop on the south. Shortly before 7 o'clock a fresh outbreak occurred: in the roof of the Methodist Church, about 500 yds to leeward of the main fire* This was speedily extinguished by means of a chemical engine.

The fire had been practically conquered by 6.45, after the brigade had forked at it for only an hour. Still, however, there was need of constant aid and vigorous attention.

The telephone service was temporarily disarranged, and the gas connection also destroyed and not _ available for power and other purposes until about 10 o'clock. It was suggested by many of the early fire-fighters that the outbreak originated in the kitchen connected with "the Geisha tea rooms immediately over Reynold's shop. The block of buildings occupied by Messrs J. Benning, Reynolds and Co., and Messrs Anstioe and Co. wae owned by Benning, and erected 23 years ago. The Maaonio Hotel, about 33 years old, •was owned by George Houldsworth. The former license© (Jas, Penney) last month sold out to George Newport, of Wairarapa, who had a seven years' first lease, with a purchasing clause at about £4000. The lease has yet about half its time to run. It will be recollected that the Masonic; Hotel was made the subject of a test case as to the powers of licensing committees in ordering new buildings, when it was held by Mr Justice Cooper, that the hotel having been " repaired " in accordance with the requirements of the authorities, the committee could not order rebuilding. The premises occupied by N. Madden, (fruiterer) and .G. Sowman (tobacconist), immediately south of the Masonio, were the property of Mr H. S. ,Bush, the first licensee of the Masonic Hotel. These shops were gutted, the fire entering from the back down Wynne street. The properties destroyed were W. Young's bakery and the old sample .rooms, belonging to Benning, right opposite. The insurances, so far as can be ascertained, are as follow: — Benning'e buildings, £600 in the Royal Exchange, £400 in the London and Lancashire, £1200 in the National. Benning's stock: £1500 in the Liverpool and London and: Globe, £200 in the Royal Exchange. Benning's sample room : £120 in the Standard. Anstice and Co.'s stock: £1000 'in the London and Liverpool and Globa. W. B. Younic hakfii ;

£275 on the building in the Phosrt£j Masonic Hotel : £950 in the State Office on the building and £250- on. the stock. Bush's buildings: £400 in the National. Sowman, . tobacconist, £100- on the etock in. the State Office.