FIRE AT TOKO

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 25, 30 June 1913, Page 3

FIRE AT TOKO

TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE HOTEL.

The Toko Junction Hotel was destroyed by fire at about two o'clock on Saturday morning. The licensee, Mr. Robert .Morrison, and the boarders had heavy losses. Mr. Morrison has had quite a run of ill-luck lately, and this lire about caps the pile.

I The cook, Mrs. Lynch, was the Jirst' | to discover the fire, and slie gave the j alarm. Jt originated, apparently, in the kitchen chimney, which had recently been afire two or three times, and which was seemingly defective. Some twelve or fourteen persons were in the house at the time, and so rapid was the spread of the flames in the two-storeyed wooden bulding, that they were able to save very little, not even having time to gather immediate personal belongings. Two of the boarders had in their rooms a fair amount of cash, and one of these ; lost a gun valued at £25. ' There are no fire-fighting appliances at Toko, and even a well-equipped brigade would have had little chance of extinguishing the flames. The bucket bri- 1 gade managed to save the stables and some other outbuildings. Fortunately, there was no wind. The paint on the j post office on the other side of the road was blistered, but on account of the stillness of the atmosphere the (lames were confined to the hotel itself. I' It is related that some of the board- j ers had been away at a dance, and got back whilst the hotel was blazing. Mr. Morrison fortunately uses one of the outbuildings as a store-room, so some of the stock was saved. This was on 'sale on Saturday in a temporary bar. , One of the few satisfactory features is ' that Mrs. Morrison is away from home. She has been ill for some time in the Stratford Hospital and had intended going home on Friday. She j providentially delayed her home-coming, J and was thus not subjected to the shock j which might have proved serious. The | residents on Saturday collected a fair | sum in aid of Mrs. Lynch, the cook, who lost all, and who has two small children ! dependent on her. > | The hotel, which was a building of I nearly thirty rooms, was owned by Mr. Hintz, of New Plymouth, and was insured with the Commercial Assurance Company. The insurances on building, stock, and furniture approximate £2500.