AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8994, 2 December 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE. LARGE WAREHOUSES GUTTED. SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED. Received December 1, 4.35 p.m. MELBOURNE, December 1. A destructive fire started at 10 o'clock, last night, in Clark's fancy goods and importers five-storey warehouse in Elizabeth Street ad • joining at the rear the Commonwealth telegraph and money-order offices. The fire spread with tremendous rapidity, enveloping Wallach's large furniture warehouse, the Dux cycle works, and a number of smaller places. By an early hour this morning the brigades had obtained the mastery of the major portion of the fire. Clark's and Wallach's premises were practically gutted. Serious damage was done to the Commonwealth property, including the destruction of .£I,OOO worth of telegraph wire and material. The waricus adjoining properties suffered severely. The whole of the city was brilliantly lighted by the fire. " An immense concourse of people watched the fire. A crowded verandah, opposite the •outbreak, collapsed, and several persons were injured. A TOWN SWEPT BY FIRE. TWENTY-TWO BUSINESS PREMISES DESTROYED. Received December 2, 1.52 a.m. BRISBANE, December 1. A wire from Longreach to the Deputy Postmaster - General announces that the town of Longreach was swept by fue at one o'clock this morning. T>'eiity-two of the leading business places were destroyed. VALUE OF PROPERTY DESTROYED, £60,000. Received December 2, 1.52 a.m. MELBOURNE, December 1. The fire was the largest that has occurred here for twelve years. The value of the property destroyed is close on £60,000. The official report states that the Postal Department lost £16,000 worth of material. It is feared that considerable public inconvenience will be caused by the loss of the telephone instruments and wire.