FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 197, 28 January 1915, Page 2

FIRES.

INSURANCE ANOMALIES. By Telegraph—Per Press Association. Napier, January 27. The magisterial enquiry, lasting two days, into the circumstances attending the destruction by fire of fancy goods j and soft drinks shops run by Richard Ridsdale lias concluded. The magistrate's verdict found that no evidencehad been tendered from which .it could be reasonably inferred that either Mrs or 'Miss Ridsdale intentionally caused: the fire; that the insurance on stock and fittings of £BSO had greatly exceeded the value at the time of the Are; that the stock and fittings insured five years previously had never been 1 re-inspected or re-valued on behalf of the insurance company. OUTBREAK AT BRUNNERTOX. ; Grcymouth, January 27. ; A fire at Brunnerton yesterday des- • troyed tho Buck's Head Hotel, Nimmo's general store, the Borough Council offices, the Druids' lodge room, Armstrong's store and Baker's premises. r The latter was unoccupied, except for , a small quantity of hardware stored there. The fire originated in this build- : ing. (All were totally destroyed. A quantity of stock was saved. The total damage is estimated at £3OOO. Ximino's stock was insured for £SOO, and the building for £l5O. The hotel was insured for £4OO on the building, and £2OO on the stock and furniture. There

was little or no cover oil the others. This is the second time within twelve months that the Borough Chambers and Druids' Hall have been burnt out. The origin of the fire is not known.