Destructive Fire in Wellington.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4784, 9 May 1884, Page 2

Destructive Fire in Wellington.

A .CHUJttOfl AND SCHOOL BtTftNT.

[Pee Press AssociATioNiJ

Wellington, This day. t St. John's Presbyterian Church and Schoolroom, in Willis stveet,, were totally destroyed by fire this morning. At about 6 o'clock a fire broke out in the school-room, which,had not been open since Tuesday night. The flames soon got complete mastery, and the water supply was deficient. The Fire Brigade had turned out an hour before to a fire in a brick-yard in Tory strebt. A high wind was blowing, and the flames spread from the school-room to the church, and could not be checked. The organ, books, music, carpets, and everything muveable jcere got out of the church, which was insured in tbe South British Company for £3000. The library records and bar mouium in the school-room were destroyed. The fire spread to the private residence of Mr Spiuks, adjoining. The Te Aro Hotel, Jamieson's grocery, and several other buildings in Willis street, were partially destroyed. On the north tide of the church a private dwelling and a lar^e two-storey workshop were com-

pletely gutted, and. at one time the confla gration seemed likely to sweep the whole street. The roofs of several houses at a considerable distance from the church were on fire. The Wellington Dorcas Society lose-their sewing machines and other property in the school-room. "Later.

The fire is believed to be a clear case of incendiarism. The insurances are : —On the schoolroom £500, in Northern office; the church £3000, in Northern office, reinsured as follows : £1000 in the South British, and £500 in the London, Liverpool, and Globe. In the several buildings in the neighborhood of the church, which were on fire a,t various times, considerable damage has been done to stock by water.