FIRES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1865, 14 March 1889, Page 4

FIRES.

Christchukch, March 11

An extensive grass fire has been raging on the Port Hills during the paßt few days. Ou Sumluy afternoon Messrs Holland and Ti»p!ey's slaughterhouse, near Lyttelton, had ii narrow escapo. In tho evening tho Maori pah at Ruupaki was saved only after several hours' hard work by the Natives and i-etilsrs. A Urge quantity of grass and soma bush >vero destroyed. Later at night *. nurth-wesi breeze drove th» iUmos towurdn Lyttelton. Mr Gallagher's lioubh tit Cass was Bitvcd with difficulty. That afioinom the fice appeared over the hi!! above Dampier'a Bay, close to Lyttelton. The police and firemen, with a number of volunteers, turned out, and. after several hours' hard work, chocked the progress of the fire towards the town. A considerable number of sheep are supposed to have perished. March 12. This afternoon some hundreds of acres of feed, exteusive plantations, and the fencing round 400 acres, were burned round Mr J. S. White s estate at Ohoka. The house was saved only by tho great exertions of a large number of men, two of whom were badly burnt. Nelson, March 10. A fire broke out in an eight-roomed house in Collingwood street to-night, the building being occupied by Mrs Levien, a widow, with 10 children. Only a girl of 11 years and a ehild aged three were in the place at the time, the latter being in bed. A candle having been l*ft in the room it is supposed that ihe child upsat the candle. The elder girl rescued the little one, but was severely burnt about the arms in doing so. A piano «nd f urnito the yuliifl r 'f £BO in *!l wcr? bnl the estimated vaine of ilu> orntents was £3OO, and there wan no insniaac*. £25 in notes vas Tim -house w.is insured in tho Liverpool and London for £l5O. Auckland, March 11. Tho total loss by the Cambridge fir« is £IO,OOO. March 12. The Ladies' Roman Catholic High School was completely destroyed by fire this evening, shortly after 9 o'clock. Tue pupils, numbering 33, had just gone to bed, and there was only one light in the hui ; ding, a g«s jet in the corridor. The tiro originated in a room in which the pupils' wardrobes ars kept, and there had been no lights in this room during the evening. Tho buildiog, which was of considerable sizi, was burnt to the ground. Three pianos and a few pictures were the only things caved. The pupil* were awakened by the Sister in charge, and just escaped, not having time to dress. It is not known whether the building was insured. The loss will at any rate be considerable, as it is known that the furniture and the pupils' effects were 1 uninsuied.