FIRE AT TAUMARUNUI.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 150, 27 February 1915, Page 5

FIRE AT TAUMARUNUI.

ELLIS AND BURNAND'B MILL. DAMAGE OVER £20,000. TAUMARTJNUI, This Day. Ellis and Burnnnd's box factory, at Manunui, was burnt down early this morning The five was observed by a watchman at 3 a.m. He blew the mill whistle to alarm the mill officials. The men turned out quickly and worked hard to save the" factory.- Water from the Taumarunui high pressure was the means of the fire being prevented from spreading to the adjoining mill. The damage done is about £20.000, which includes 400,000 feet of dressed white pine, ready for shipment for butter boxes, also the very valuable machinery. About 30 men, mostly young and unmarried, are thrown out of employment.

The amount of the insurances is not yet ascertainable. The fire among the timber in the box factory is still burning, but large stacks of timber in the yard are safe. The factory supplies many dairy companies throughout the Dominion with their boxes. Tour years ago a very simlar fire occurred, which destroyed the former box factory on the same site.