BIG FIRE AT HASTINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 316, 15 January 1908, Page 2

BIG FIRE AT HASTINGS.

SUSPECTED ARSON. FAILURE OF THE WATER SUITLY. Per Press Association. Napier, Last Night. Hastings was the scone of another big conflagration early on Tuesday morning, Just before midnight, the firebcll rang out an alarm, and it was found that a | small wooden building in Station street,, kept as a restaurant by Mr M. Johnspn, and known as tlie "Silver Grid," was in flames. The fire spread with such rapid-l ity that even before the arrival of the; brigade a minute or two after midnight the building on either side of the re" staurant h.d caught. Owing to some slight mishap, it was some ten minutes before water could be got, and during that time the fire "had spread to Harts-

horn and Wellwood's on one side and T. M. Robinson's, fruiterer, on the other | side. A further stoppage of the water pressure for five minutes enabled the fire to gain a further hold, but a few minutes afterwards the brigade bad tlie fire well in hand, though it continued to burn for nearly two hours after. Most of the buildings were old, which pro' I bably accounted for the rapidity with

which the flames spread. The businesses burnt, were:—Hartsborn and Wellwood. land agents; George Ebbet, solicitor; Johnston, restaurant; Edgar Lewes, jeweller; IT. Christian, bicycle sliop; 5?. Scaeffer, tobacconist; F, Cassin, land agent; F. Fitzpatrick, billiard saloon; Woostcr, baker; Fraser and Fngan, tea Importers; Reynold!) and Co.. bicycle agents; and T. M. Robinson, fruiterer. Hyde and Co.'s billiard saloon at tlie rear of Robertson's, 1

and opening out into the Grand Hotel risjlit-of-way, was badly damaged by fire, and water, but the two billiard tables'! seem to have escaped injury. Tn connection with the fire Martin .Tdhnson, proprietor of the Silver Grid, was arrested this evening on a charge of alleged arson. I ' THE INSURANCES.' Per Press Association. Hastings, Last Night. In connection with the recent fire, the insurances are as follows; Building owned by J. Blake and occupied by Hartshorn and Wellwood (accountants), ,t!)0 in the Alliance on the contents and £SO in the Standard; G. Ebbett, solicitor (ownf!r and occupier), building £l2O in the Yorkshire, contents £25; | tlie Silver Grid, owned by Dr. A. Beocroft and occupied by M. Johnston, £l5O in the Alliance office and £SO in the Victoria office; building owned by Sowersby, £350 in the North Queensland, and occupied by E. Lewis, watchmaker, stock £S)l)0 in the Sun, office; Wooster and Co., pastrycook, uninsured; Fane and Fraser, uninsured; 1 Fitzpatrick, billiard saloon, uninsured; i 11. Chritain, stock £IOO in the Alliance • office; building owned by W. G. Maddi- : son, £350 in the Atlas office, occupied ■ by Reynolds and Co., stock £450 in ■ tlie Alliance office; T. Robertson, stock ' £Sff in the StaiClard office; T, Hyde, >. billiard saloon, £250 in the Alliance >1 office.