FIRE AT WANGANUI.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 459, 17 September 1879, Page 2

FIRE AT WANGANUI.

Ax five o’clock on Sunday morning (says the Wanganui Chronicle) a fire broke out in the premises of Mr William Kells, Taupo Quay. The building being on old one, the flames spread with wonderful rapidity, and in a very few minutes it seemed as if not only the building in which the fire originated, hut also the premises on either side of it were doomed to destruction by the fiery element. The Brigade, with their appliances, were on the spot with remarkable celerity, and very quiekiy had a number of branches in full play. B} r this lime, however, Kells’ shop was one mass of fire, and the curling fiarnes towering up seized hold ofCnpstiek’g Railway Hotel and enveloped it as in a winding sheet. The Brigade, nothing daunted or discouraged, stood well up to their work, and very soon the flames to succumb under a perfect deluge mf Wcslmero water. At one time the flames had full possession of the hotel, having penetrated to every part, but the well-directed force of water had such an overpowering effect that the fire was absolutely driven out, leaving the whole framework of the building standing, to prove how terrible had been the struggle for mastery between the contending elements. Of the origin of the fire we are not able to speak, further than to say that those who were among the first on the scene, - observed that the fire proceeded in the first place from the vicinity of Mr Kells store, njofning" hotel - Kells himself, with is wife and daughter escaped unhurt, but saved next to nothing. ■ From' Mrs Cummins’ drapery establishment next door, everything was saved and afterwards carried into Mr Beaven’s. Mrs Cummins’ loss, however, will be considerable, as she was uninsured. Mr Capstick also lost nearly everything, but the Joss is covered by insurance. The insurances are : —Mr Kells : Building, £IOO in the New Zealand lusuranee Co.; stock £6OO in the Imperial, and £6OO in the National; furniture, £250. Mr Capstick ; Building £l5O in the North British and Mercantile, and £6OO in the Union. Stock and furniture, £4OO in the Standard, and £l5O in the North British and Mercantile.

English opinion op new ZEALAND BORROWING. On tho subject of the Bluff Harbor loan, the Pall Mall Gazette observes that the rapid increase ot debt in New Zealand is likely to cause some uneasiness to all who are interested in that colony. Not only is the colony itself largely indebted, but the various towns and municipalities are to an extent which may easily prove dangerone. This, of course, will not be felt so long as tbe borrowing, the building of public works, and the assisted immigration go steadily on, bat should any '•check occur, grave difficulties might follow; for it should not be forgotten that the whole of tho debt, amounting to more than £SO per head ol the population, is in foreign hands, and consequently the interest upon it has to be sent out of the colony. If it should that miscalculations have been in tho value of the public works, and if the demand for the Crown hinds falls off—both conceivable events —the 'position of New Zealand might .be ■uncomfortable. We do not say that this is reason for alarm, or even distrust, but there is certainly quite enough in tho present state of affairs to make us wish that the people of New Zealand would not discount their future quite so heavily. There is no finer colony within the circle ol the British possessions ; the climate is specially suited to men of our race; and any financial mismanagement which should check its growth would be most deplorable.

HOW THE MONEY GOES. ( Poverty Bay Herald). It is a sad reflection for those who can reflect, that the hotel-keepers of Poverty Bay are rejoicing exceeding much, because a number of Maoris are about to receive considerable sums of money from the Government in pay for their lands. Say the hotel-keepers, “ the Maoris never keep their money ; don’t save it up; don’t turn it to profitable account. They drink it, and so let us rejoice.” Bye-and-bye, when the Maoris have parted with their lands, and have drunk themselves into disease, and have lost all relish for work, then we shall be taxed to build them asylums, and lur-•ther-taxed to support them. Could a -paternal Government not find out a way by which the Maoris shall economise their money to prevent 'them from becoming pauperised, and made a charge upon the country ? When a child comes into a large estate his gaurdians do not allow him to squander it until he has reached an age to know what he ought or ought not to do with it. Are these Maoris not very children when they have money to command? Why not make the Maori lands whether bought or leased by the Government, or .by private persons, go to the Maoris is the shape of an annual income, Ijo it small ©r large? The Government of this country, when its history comes to be written, will be charged with having debaser and demoralised the “ noble savage.”