NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 2 March 1918, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

• I FLAXMILL BURNED. i.1 FOXTON, March 1. s Saunders' flaxmill at Moutoa was •. totally destroyed by fire yesterday a£* n ternoon. The loss is estimated ben tween £GOO and £Boo.' !- CHINESE WHISKY. 9 WELLINGTON, March 1. 2 Ah Chang was fined £SO for illicit(ly selling Chinese whisky. It was stated in evidence tHat during the months of November and December over one hundred gallons of spirit, 27 underproof, had been handled by des ( fendant's firm. It was urged for the~ i defence that Chinese considered the s spirit a medicine. BLASE AT GQSE. GORE, March 1. A disastrous fire occurred at severe o'clock this morning, when Fleming and Co's extensive cereal mills were almost completely gutted. The damage will run well into five figures. The fire was first noticed in the oatmeal department, and it spread with astonishing rapidity through thtrereamoata works storage department and! oatmeal department, and spread to the third floor. In twenty-five minutes the flames were through the~TOof on the fourth floor. Falling beams and { machinery rapidly carried the flames to the basement. The south side of the building was partially saved, im eluding the offices and two floors above, mostly used for storage ofi flour. The firm carried heavy stocks of raw material. The fire occurred at! ] the worst time of the year, the seas-* ! on's contracts just having been completed. The fire brigades did splendid work, but were hampered by £ I somewhat poor pressure. The insurances are in the New Zealand office, but are not available yet. The fire will make thirty-five employees idle.