DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 258, 10 April 1860, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

Yesterday morning, shortly before three o'clock, the Short land-street fire-bell rang out its warning note, which it repeated with a pertinacity that showed there was real ground for alarm. Inspector Naughten, we believe, was the first to perceive indications of fire in the upper pant of one of "Frazer's brick buildings," occupied by Mr. Collins, and only divided by a lane from the Customhouse premises. , . Owing to so many of our Fire Brigadiers being in the Volunteer Rifles, there was some difficulty experienced in manning the engines; and when they were got near the spot, the tide was found to be nearly out, while almost all the wells in the neighborhood were nearly dry, and when buckets were produced too many of the bystanders—stout artizans ari| others earning good wages—preferred putting their hands in their pockets and smoking their pipes to helping to preserve the property of their tellow-townsmen from destruction. In this respect these men were,: or ought to have' been put to shame, by a numerous party of maori men and women who (the native ladies must pardon the joke) "manned' 1 one of the engines and worked it most efficiently; by Captain Campion and the officers and men of H.M., brig Elk, Captain Jones of the barque Kate and his erew v th« members df Jfo. 1 Fife Uwgatte and of the

Auckland Volunteer Rifles who formed the guard, and by some of the' citizens of Auckland" whose property was not in danger. The men- of the Elk and of the Kate, we know, pronounced not a few of the stout-shouldtred ■ lookers-on to be regular ''land-lubbers;" arid the, maories (men and women) loudly expressed their surprise at the apathy of all those "big Pakehas." Providentially the wind was ftum the south, but hardly a cat's paw,—otherwise the destruction of property must have been very great. As it was, the conflagration was. confined to. the stores and offices of Messrs. Collins (in whose premises the fire broke out), Norris, J. Henderson (accountbookslost), Wynn, (solicitor— papers burnt) Creagh (solicitor —papers saved) J. Buchanan (watchmaker and jeweller—stock mostly saved), George Graham (agent Imperial fire office—books and papers saved. New Zealand Insurance Company's office, (account books and papers saved, with a few trifling exceptions as regards the latter), Auckland Land Association offices, (all the principal books, and papers saved:- office furniture destroyed) Messrs. Dawson and Kay's leather and grindery store (goods chiefly saved), Messrs. Cheeseman's auction office (books saved):—here the active progress of the fire was_ stayed, through the effective working of the engines belonging to the Provincial Government and the exertions of a well-organized party of men who ascended to the roof of the block and from thence played on the fire. The premises of Messrs. Philips and Son, Brown, Hall, and Co., Brighton, and Jearrad, were not injured by the fire, but of necessity suffered, as well a3 the goods, from the precautions ' '' that had to be taken in case of the fire spreading to them, and from the hasty removal o^th&ipro- : perty. Mr. L. James of - the Auckland" Luncheon Larder, whose premises were next in order of succession, suffered no injury. The property saved was placed under the hands of the police and of an armed guard and sentries of the Auckland Rifles, and we have never before heard of so few articles being missing ; after a fire of such extent.

The fire was at its height from 4 to half-past 4, and was entirely subdued by 6. We purposely refrain from here individualizing those of our fellow-citizens who were most active, until we have further information. With respect to the maories, however we feel bound to make this remark; that so far from manifesting any indifference to the destruction of property, they expressed their concern, and a Chief stated that had they but received instruction and permission from, any person in authority who understood their language, at the commencement of the conflagration, they would have speedily made such a breach in the premises adjoining Mr. Collins's house aa would have prevented the fire from spreading further.

The buildings destroyed were insured, we learn in the Imperial Fire Office, for between 2000 Z. and 3000Z.:—the value of the stock destroyed we have not yet learned; but looking to the amount of property saved, we trust the total loss in thi3 respect will Dot exceed 6000/. We hope soon; to see the unsightly gap thus caused in this fine block cf stores and offices, occupied by even more substantial and fire-proof brick or stone stores.