FIRES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1448, 31 December 1885, Page 1

FIRES.

The Gave Hotel and the stables and blacksmith shop adjoining were burned ■ own on Tuesday morning at 1.30. Everything was destroyed. The licensee of the hotel was Mr G. F. Finch, and he is a heavy loser. The. fire originated in the bedroom of a man named P. Burns, a shearer, who escaped by jumping out of a window. Burns was so badly hurt on his tight side that be had to he conveyed to the Timaru flosp tal. The hotel was the property of Mr L. McOoruiick, and was insured for £BOO.

A destructive fire occurred at Oxford (near Christchurch) on Monday morning, tiv® buildings being burnt to the greund The fire broke out in Shannon's bootmaker’s shop, and quickly spread to Dr Reeves’ chemist’s shop, R. Fisher’s general store, and Hyland and Woodward’s dwelling houses. Woodward had a narrow escape from being suffocated by the smoke, and others had difficulty in Very little furniture was saved. The insurances so far as known are £I7OO in the New Z»aknd office, £2OO in the National, and £IOO in the Colonial, Bush fires are still raging in Oxford, and probably this fire, which was first seen on a house roof t was occasioned by a spark blown from the bush. Napier, Dec 29.

: Bush fires continue to spread in all directions, and almost hourly reports arrive of homesteads burned, slock destroyed, and 'large tracts of grass land devastated. Smoke hangs over the country'like a dark pal l , making it neorly as dark as tiight, and it is impossible to ;iscet tainjdefinitely the damage done m the more remote districts. The township of Matatoka is surrounded, and to-day fifty volunteer firemen with an engine and other appliances left Napier for that township, to endeavor to save property. It is known that at least twelve houses xn and near the township o£ Matatoka, as well as Gundrie’s large sawmill, has been totally destroyed, and news was brought of fresh fires having broken out. The Herald’s special correspondent at Matatoka telegraphed at ten u’c-ock on Tuesday night that the Brigade and engine arrived at 8.46. There was at the time of the dispatchof the message no wind, and the fire was not spreading, but fears were entertained that if the wind rose again, the railway station and many other buildings would go. The schoolhouse was threatened;, arid the fire was raging round Parsons’s mills, but communication was cut off by the fire. Very Imtie water was available, and the Brigade was utterly unable to cope with the tire which was raging over an area of six square miles. Wellington, Dec. 29.

The most disastrous fire which has occurred here since the Opera House fire, broke out tin's morning. The alarm was given about 7.45, when Myers’ picture raaoufacturer’i shop, on Lambton Quay, was discovered to be on fire, but the origin of the conflagration is unknown. The Fire Brigade was soon on the spot, but appeared unable to cope with the task before them, and as a consequence the fire spread rapidly to Smart’s oyrter saloon and Mrs| Nelson’s fruit shop, on either side, which were soou levelled to tbs ground. The fl ones were still gaining on the brigade, and Aldou’s tobacco-, nist, Spider’s music shop, Farmer’s large warehouses, the Wellington Meat Company’s butcher’s shop, and Mrs Paul’s millinery shop, were completely destroyed, The fire also destroyed the stables of the Meat Company, and than extended to some small cottages in a small lari© running ofi Woodward street. All these were destroyed, but the occupiers are not yet known. Hayes’ plumber’s shop, Arrewsmith, fruiterer, and the Branch Hotel had very narrow escapes. The sparks were carried a long distance away, and the Occidental Hotel, Dr Henry’s house, and the Central Club were on fire at one time, but were saved with some difficulty. Latbk. Four cottages, known as James’s cotvtages, occupied by W. Brejautand family,, Neil and, family (the occupants of the other two being unknown), and Hayes’ pattern and coppersmith’s shop wers also burnt in the fire this morning. The amount of the property destroyed is estimated at over £12,000, or £7OOO above the insurance. The fire this morntook place on the same spot as the great fire m May, 1887. - On that occasion the same block was swept by the fire. Three dwelling-houses, an old flour mill and a building formerly Hooker and Stewart Bros’ timber mill, were burnt yesterday.