FIRES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 37, 15 February 1915, Page 2

FIRES.

OUTBREAK IN A HOTEL.

Per Press Association

Oamaru, February 11

A lire was discovered at •! a.m., in the Star and Garter Hotel of 72 rooms, .Mrs Harvey being the lessee. Apparently the lire started in an unoccupied bedroom upstairs. A furious northeaster was blowing and when the brigade arrived the upper storey, in the centre of the building, was an inferno. Fortunately, as the lire was at its height, the wind lulled preparatory to chopping round to the north-west, and the brigade gained the mastery, otherwise the whole block in the centre ot one of the busiest portions of the tow u could not have been saved. The whole of the upper story and a third floor of bedrooms was clean swept, fortunately there were, few visitors at the time. The inmates escaped with, very little, several in only their night attire, and there were several narrow escapes. Everything in the lower storey was seriously damaged by water. The North Otago Club had rooms in the building, and G. M. Procter (chemist), and Hobson (fruiterer), were tenants of a part. All the property of these were irrevocably destroyed by water, and they are heavy losers. The Star and Garter block was owned by Poymans’ Estate (England), and is administered by the Perpetual T rustees (Dunedin). The insurances on the building are not yet available, but Mrs Harvey’s furniture was ’ insured for £750 in the Standard Co., Proctor had £9OO on the stock and £2OO on the fittings (£350 in the South British and £750 in the National). Hobson’s stock and the North Otago Club furniture were insured for small amounts.

SOAP WORKS DESTROYED.

Napier, February 14

Shortly after mid-day to-day, the Hawke’s Bay Soap and Tannery Company’s works at Awatata, covering two acres, three miles from Napier, were totally destroyed by fire. The Napier Fire Brigade went out and did good work, although the fire had too great a hold and little was saved. A large quantity of hides, soap and materials was destroyed. The soap works, stock and buildings connected therewith, were insured in the Phoenix, Norwich and Commercial Union for £1223 (is 8d in each office, but the insurance on the tannery department is not available. The whole works were valued at about £BOOO to £IO,OOO.

FIRE AT POWER HOUSE.

Gisborne, February 14

A fire at the Municipal power house at 8 o’clock on Saturday night plunged the town in darknessvmany of the largest shops having recourse to cam dies, while the picture theatre's 11 were unable to show. An hour later temporary repairs enabled the lights to be switched on again, and permanent repairs were effected this morning. The damage is not very heavy, and is covered by insurance in the South British office.

FIRE IN A BREWERY.

Gisborne, February 14

At an early hour this morning a fire broke out in D. J. Parry’s brewery, the packing shed being completely destroyed, while the pasturising room and bottling department sustained damage. The insurances on this section of the brewery are £7OO on the building and £2IOO on the stocks and machinery, in various offices.