FIRE AT AUCKLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1916, Page 4

FIRE AT AUCKLAND.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE PAMAGED, By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Flight rooms and two corridors in Government House were destroyed by fire shortly before S o'clock last night. Appearances, indicate that the tire originated near the room occupied by Sir lan Hamilton when he visited Auckland, l'i'ora the point of origin the fire spread back through the private Viceregal apartments and down the main staircase, and, driven by the wind, it enveloped the eastern wing. Interest will attach to the fact that the Duke of Edinburgh's bed, made doubly famous by the protest by Mr. Glover against the removal of this historic piece of carved kauri, escaped almost without injury. It was standing in the dressing-room of his Excellency, and the singed varnish will be easily repaired. The dressing-room and other two bedrooms eastward of the Viceregal apartments were damaged considerably by the fire, which swept down the main stairway, gutting the hall and destroying its furniture, Evidently it was also driven down the stairway of the western wing, as the entrance to the hall-room was slightly damaged by smoke, but the ball-room, a separate building, was not damaged. Beneath the centre of the fire the drawing-room is situated, the other portion of the ground floor comprising the dining-room. Neither of these apartments was greatly damaged by fire, though the ceiling of the drawing-room was burned through in one corner; they were, however, flooded with water, and this morning water was still pouring down, from the rooms above. All the drawing-room furniture was stacked in the middle of the room, and was not damaged. The diningroom furniture was removed while the fire was in progress. Other portions of the building/ including the servants quarters, were not affected by either five or water. The damage is estimated at between £3OOO and £4OOO.