TELEGRAMS This Day.

Patea Mail, 7 January 1882, Page 3

TELEGRAMS This Day.

(per united press association.)

Fire at Christchurch. UNION BANK GUTTED. TIMBER YARD DESTROYED. Christchurch.—Shortly after midnight a fire alarm was given. No reflection was to be seen, but it was soon found that the upper storey of the Union Bank was on fire. While this was being watched, Rees’s timber yard, not 200 yards away, broke out in flames and is now burning fiercely. The bank was gutted, and all the buildings and most of the timber in Rees’s place arc already destroyed. The latter is burning fiercely, but the fire will be confined to the yard. The bank building is of brick, with dwelling attached. The latter is not yet injured, so far as at present known. Insurances are of course unobtainable at present. LATER REPORT. Christchurch.—The fire in the Union Bank originated in the chief officer’s room ; how is a mystery. It was got under, but broke out again between 2 and 3 o’clock, and gave great trouble. The premises are completely gutted. The insurances are: Union office Northern Royal Imperial £ISOO, London Liverpool and Globe £I3OO ; total £4,800. The fire at Rees’s timber-yard broke out at the central premises where no fire is ever used. The insurance in the New Zealand office for £2,300 will not cover the loss.

LATEST TO-DAY. Christchurch.—The total insurances on Rees’s property are £2,750, all in New Zealand offices. The estimated damage is £2,000. The ground floor of the Union Bank is not so much injured as was expected. Total estimate damage from fire is about £IOO. [The figures are clearly wrong. Perhaps £IO,OOO should be the amount.] Receiving Stolen Goods. Auckland.—C. A. Martin, publican, has been committed for trial on a charge of receiving stolen property from John Ornstein. The goods were owned by A. H. Nathan, merchant. Bail was allowed. Man Shot himself. Auckland.—Geo. Cook, 60 years of age, shot himself at Drury. He had been receiving Government rations, and was in a desponding condition.

Champion Sculling. Auckland. A sculling match has been arranged between Albert White and Carter, of Sydney, to row at Mercury Bay for £SO a side, the competitors changing boats, This match arises out of the sculling race at the Mercury Bay regatta, White thinking that Carter won by the superiority of his boat. Fires at Auckland. Auckland.—Sibbin’s auction mart was completely gutted by fire yesterday morning. Insurances: Stock, £IOOO in National £3OO in Northern ; building, £2OO Victoria, £2OO National. A five-roomed house has been burned at Onehunga. Insurances: £250 on house in South British; £IOO on furniture in Standard. Smuggling Cigars. At Lyttelton, W. H. Clark was charged with smuggling four boxes of cigars from the ship Phases, and was fined in the mitigated penalty of £l2. Mayor Suing for Slander. Wellington.—At the Supreme Court on Monday, an action for slander, damages £IOOO, brought by the Mayor against James Stewart, will be heard. Damage by Bush Fires. Christchurch. —During the recent nor’-westers some damage was done by a bush fire at Oxford. A large quantity of timber and 2 miles of tramway were

horned, and it was only by the utmost txertion that the houses near the fire wore saved. Everyone turned out and worked all Thursday night protecting mills and cottages. The fire is still burning, and in the event of a nor’wester may still do a lot of damage. NEW GAS FOR LIGHTINGDunedin.—A bricklayer resident in the suburbs has perfected a machine for the manufacture of gas out of animal carbon. The experiment has been most successful, and a patent is applied for. The cost of the gas is vastly less than from coal. Smuggling Cigars. Christchurch.—-At Lyttleton, Whylark was charged with smuggling four boxes of cigars from the ship Phasis. The Collector of Customs said he had not elected to sue for the full penalty, but proceeded simply for treble value of the cigars, £l2, in which amount accused was fined. Racing Disqualification.

Napier.—The Racing Club has disqualified P. Murtagh from ever again riding, training, or entering any horse at any meeting under the auspices of this Club, for misconduct in the saddling paddock, for a wrongful entry in the maiden plate, and for receiving money to pull Angler in the hurdles. Fire and Fraud. Napier.—At an inquest into the fire at Blackburn’s rope factory, the jury found that Blackburn’s shed was set on fire from inside, but as to which persons or person originated the fire there is no evidence to show. The jury wish to add that the evidence also shows that Blackburn fraudulently misrepresented the value of his property. The jury think that insurance companies are to blame for accepting the risk without first surveying the property. Death on Steamer. Auckland.—A passenger from Tauranga by the steamer Wellington was found dead in the steerage of that vessel this morning. He came up to go to the hospital. Press Libel Case. Christchurch.—J. W. Treadwell, one of the candidates in the recent elections for Christchurch South, has laid criminal information for libel against the proprietor of the Telegi'aph newspaper.