£l000 IN ASHES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2311, 13 August 1880, Page 2

£looo IN ASHES.

By the recent lire at Bainesso, a farm near Manawatu, a Mr Simpson lost £I.OOO in notes. Only a few days before the whole of the cattle on the Bainesso had been sold to MrM'Lennan, manager of the Orona Downs estate, fur £I,OOO. This sum was paid in notes, being made up in two equal bundles, one of which was rolled up by Air M‘Lonmin the other by Mr Simpson. For private reasons Air (Simpson determined not to bank the money for a fe w weeks, and he therefore secreted it in a portion of the roof, informing no one—not oven his wife—■where the mites were placed. Of course they were burnt. The property was injured in the South British insurance Company for £SoO, viz., £;‘>oo on the main building', and the balance on the sheds, furniture, etc. Mr Flower, agent of the Bank of New Zealand at Foxlon, visited the scene of the lire for the purpose of searching for truce* oil the burnt notes. After removing the debris, they came upon what was evidently a quantity of calcined paper. This was carefully taken up and deposited in the bank. The paper has evidently not been burnt by actual contact with iiauie, but has been calcined or baked by being subjected to intense heat. At the slightest touch it crumbles away into a dust almost imperceptible. The parcel is to be sent to the Wellington cilice of the bank, and steps will probably ho taken to ascertain by seientiliu aid if the bundle referred to actually consists of the notes left in the house.