SERIOUS FIRES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1177, 13 May 1884, Page 1

SERIOUS FIRES.

An extensive fire occurred at Upper Okongaro, about seven miles from Wanganui, last Saturday night, the residence of Mr Spencer Peel being burnt to the ground. Nothing was saved except a valuable diamond and gold bracelet, which whs afterwards recovered from the debris, and a gun, which cost sixty guineas at Home. The house and furniture were insured for £7OO, but Mr Peel had some very valuable jewellery and personal property in the house at the time, and he says he will lose considerably above that amount. A cottage owned by Sergeant Major O'Grady was burned down at Greymouth on Sunday morning at three o'clock. Sounds of crashing glass glass awakened the Sergeant, who had considerable difficulty in saving his wife ano children. The* furniture and other effects were entirely destroyed, the only things saved being a few articles of wearing-apparel belonging to his daughter. The house was not insured, A disastrous fire occurred at Invercargill on Saturday morning, when the premises known*, as the Leviathan Book Depot, Dee street, occupied by Messrs Rodger? and Co., booksellers and fancy goods warehousemen, were destroyed. The building was of brick, and had on one side t!ie Imperial Hotel, and on the other Hayes' chemist's sh<>p, both of brick. The alarm was given shortly before 2 a.m. by the night watchman, who observed a glare iu the studio of Messrs Nicholas and Dougall, photographers, who occupied the rear portion of the upper storey. The rear wall and the upper part of the front are alone standing. A good deal of Rodgers and Hayes' stock, was removed, but from its perishable nature it was greatly damaged. The following are the insurances :—On Messrs Kodgers and Co's. building?: Australian Mercantile £SOO (£250 reinsured), Royal £ISOO, North British £3500; on the stock: Australian Mercantile £IOOO, North British £2500, Hamburg Magdeburg £IOO, Royal £IOOO, London and Lan- [ cashire £IOOO, Equitable, £ISOO. Total £12,000. On Messrs Nicholas and Dougall's photographic gallery, £6OO in the Colonial office. On the stock of Mr J. D. Hayes, chemist, £3OO in the Australian Mercantile Union and £3OO in the New Zealand. On the piano, plant,d and stock of Mr P. \V. Burwell, wtio ha() an office in front of the upper itorey, £lO in tha Colonial office.