Second Edition FIRES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 69, 29 March 1913, Page 6

Second Edition FIRES.

'HOTEL,-HALL,* AND HOUSE, r __

• (Per Press Association.) Wqiroa, March 28. The fire which was reported as start

ing at 2.15, p.m, to-day developed into ] a disastrous blaze, resulting in the destruction of two small , unoccupied shops, the -Jubilee. Hall, and the Clyde Hotel, ..with outbuildings and most of the.contents. The fire, started in an old unoccupied shop, next the Jubilee Hail, wnich soon caught, andburjib fiercely. The hotel—a. large doublestory building, though iron on the side —was doomed from the first, and, when the-windows wore broken, the flames, entered, and the premises were soon a roaring furnace. Sheets of iron were lifted up and thrown high ill the air, and in falling: ignited the outbuildings. AlTvwas soon reduced to ashes.

Strenuous exertions were made to save the residence of ( Mr J. Taylor, grocer,, and so, stopped the fire from spreading to another block. As it was, various places in town were set ou fire by sparks, including a dwelling close by the new Presbyterian Church, but these outbreaks were put out. The origin of the fire is a mystery, as the. old building was kept securely locked. The total loss is. £7OOO. Insurances known so far amount to £750, The hotel, however, is insured by the owners, but the amount is not known here. COTTAGE' BURNED AT MATAROA. Taihape,' March 29. As the result oh the recent dry weather, yesterday’s high wind caused a logging-up fife,-which spread so rapidly from an adjoining section that a five-roomed cottage on the Mataroa Road, owned’ by C. McDonell, and occupied by Christiansen, was totally destroyed. The furniture was saved,. There , was no insurance. BIG AUCKLAND FIRE. Auckland, March 29.

A fire which occurred about 4 o’clock this morning gutted la large fourstory block of brick buildings known as Endean’s Tower in Queen Street, overlooking the harbour. The origin of the outbreak was apparently in the of the grill room of the 'riatipour Yievt restaurant on the second flridr! 1 The flames spread with amazipg rapidity, arid rihen the brigade Wived twri ' mimites after the alarm Kqd'been, given,, every 1 floor'was ailaze,, 1 arid’'ihii whole d : f tlie structure was * gutted. by the "fire 1 With the ■ 1 exception 1 ‘ hi the gWrtlnd florid Where' the damage was considerable, owing' to the delrigo'of water and debris from the upper floors.

The building was occupied by about twenty-five tenants, the principal one Hvwfe i roughly, estijnated at £30,000. The * htinding j amdfints to £17,000 spread o.vfei f 'isbi b'fficerfl The -Ha&taWr aiid fireman had some fough ,'| J Wifc/' sustained injuries,, ! "thUstlPy; mindr; except 1 in thej cask' of ' ,l B/iit6y, who was rather badly hfirt !, 'by, a fin-off- the lift.

Thfe insurances were divided between 'the Alliance £6,000, National £2OO, Phoenix £l7oo, 'Standard £2OOO, Royal ■ £24 to, Riv.erpool, London and Globe, .£3OOO. Tenants’ insurances were;— Hellaby and Co., butcher;?, in the Nor- *' wicK; '£3oo; Sqpne : arid Co., shoe stores, ip the. Standard, £7SQ, and South British, £450; Turner and, Co-, clothiers, in. the-South, British, £200; McNamara, tobacconist, in the Phoenix £200; Fountain, restaurant, in the Phoen}X'£2oo; : London Dental Co., in the Phoenix,. £80 ; R. O. Clark, agent, in the United, £800; the Pacific Club, / in,.the North. British, £BOO- and State Office, £180: ’