AFTER THE BALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 294, 15 May 1914, Page 5

AFTER THE BALL.

AUCKLAND GOVERNMENT HOUSE bUTTED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Thursday. A fire broke out ut Government House, at nine o'clock this morning, while the Governor and General Hamilton were at breakfast. It was the vice-regal hall last night, of which electric lighting was a feature, and it is supposed the fire was caused by the fusion of the electric wires. The alarm having been given the brigade responded smartly. A detachment from H.M.S. Psyche, under the Commander, also arrived early on the scene. Lord Liverpool, General Hamilton, and their stall's assisted in saving personal effects and removed some furniture. When the brigade arrived <the fire had a good hold and had burnt a hole in the wall immediately above the bed in which uencral Hamilton slept last night, and through the floor in front of the fireplace, in the same room. It had also burnt through the floor of the passage leading to the Goveraoj'a bedroom and had attacked the roof of the building. The brigade, got the fire under after it had. spread to several other rooms. The damage by fire and water is estimated at £6OOO, quite half the building being beyond repair. General Hamilton's hed was partly! burnt. In the drawing-room on the ground floor the weight of water carried away part of the ceiling. The Governor's room was flooded by water and the wall-papers torn away by the deluge of water. The fire uid not make much of a spectacle, the only outward sign being dense clouds of smoke. General Hamilton was an hour late for his inspection of the forts. Mr. N. A. Nathan has placed his residence, adjacent to government House, at his Excellency's disposal.