FIRE AT CARTERTON.

Wairarapa Age, 30 March 1920, Page 5

FIRE AT CARTERTON.

Sawmill Destroyed.

A HEAVY LOSS REPORTED

(From Our Resident Reporter.)

v A disastrous fire occurred at about 10.30 o'clock last night at Carterton, Which resulted in the total destruction of Messrs Bootli and Co.'s sawm.ll, in the northern portion of the town, the damage of which is reported to run into thousands of pounds. When the alarm was sounded, it wa3 found that the building was u mass of flames, and little dould be done. The fire brigde got to work, however, with a manual fejagine 3 and pumped water from the creek near-by, but it was of little avail, as the fife had too great a hold. Very fortunately there was no wind at the time, or matters might have been very much nioro serious, ' ' Thousands of feet of timber near the railway line were also destroyed, and tlie loss to the* owners will undoubtedly be very heavy,: as, the plant was also a most up-to-date one. There is nb knowledge as to how the (outbreak occurred, and the insurances were also inot available last night. Until a late hour the building was still burning and smouldering away. . This is time that . the Company has had the misfortune to have its mill destroyed by fire.

The' Atua has arrived at Newcastle . from New Zealand. The reflection from the big fire at Carterton was' clearly Keen in Masterton last night, although the night was very.,dark and cloudy. Mr Hugh Morrison presided over the usual weekly meeting in Masterton yesterday of th© Claims Board of the Wairarapa Patriotic Association; An application for a loan 'of £IOO was referred to a kindred Society, as the, applicant was not domiciled in the Wairarapa, One soldier was granted an extension of time in Which to meet the liquidation of a mortgage. The , Wairaraps. Amateur Athletic team, frhich was successful in retaining the McVilly Shield at the cojtaApetitions held at Wanganui on,Satur- \ day, was well treated by the Wanga- ' nui people generally • during its stay. The team wrfs taken practically" all over the district, and was entertained on' a lavish scale. The President of i -the Wanganui Amateur Athletic Club . (Mr L. Cohen) congratulated the Wairarapa 'boys on fcheir retaining the shield, and the sportsmanlike spirit' shown in' sending such a fine team. If the championship was held in .Masterton next year they could look '■ forward to Wanganui sending a team strong .enough to wrest the shield from them. , The ■ winners were presented with fine gold medals, and the second men received silver medals. A gold medal was also awarded for points' prize, championship events, this being won by W Candy (Wairarapa), while Morgan (Wairarapti) and Packer (Wanganui) tied for .second placa.