DISASTROUS FIR

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10564, 21 February 1912, Page 3

DISASTROUS FIR

| MR EWINCTON'S FACTORY. HEAVY LOSSES. There is no explanation forthcoming as to the cause of the lire at Mr J. C. Ewiiigton's factory yesterday morning. Everything was in its usual order when the premises were closed for tlio night. The stock in tlie building included five motor cars valued at £I2OO. Four were owned by the firm, and one iby Mr J. Cotter, of Oxford House, in Queen Street. Nine motor cycles, valued at £2~>o, six of which belonged to the firm, and three being in the factory for repairs ; and also six bicycles valued at £4O. were consumed in the flames. The motor cars were not insured. The engineering plant Mas \aluc:l at £IOOO, much <:f it being recently installed. The stock on the premised was valued at from £'2ol)0 to £8(100, and included oil engines, steel sawbenches, hydraulic pumps, and a quantity of gardening implement::., which had just arrived, and were iutemded for exhibition at the Sol way show. All that now represents an up-to-date engineering establishment, which conducted a large business, arc a heap of ruins and a quantity of scrap iron. ' ] A large quantity of rubber goods, j just arrived, were also destroyed, re-i presenting many hundreds of pounds in value. The .building adjoining Mr Bwington's, and used for dyeing purposes by Mr Petersen, also caught lire, and ■though the shell was saved, the'contents of the building were consider-l ably damaged. Mr Petersen csti-, mates his loss a( £SO. • The'total 'insurance on Mr Kwing- ' ton's premises was £135-0 £I2OO in ' the State office ..-and £l5O in the North British. Several sheds at the rear of the factory escaped destruction, and reduces the total insurance on the property destroyed to about I £IOOO. The loss over and above the! insurance is estimated at £2OOO. i There was no insurance on four of , Mr Ewington's motor cars, nor was' Mr Cotter's car insured. !