Total Destruction of the Waipoua Flax Mills.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3085, 20 December 1888, Page 3

Total Destruction of the Waipoua Flax Mills.

At- about twentylive minutes to twelve this morning an alarm of firo was rnng ont on the Queen-atreet bell in consequence of a large volume of smoke whichwas seen rising hi an easterly direction, MrR. E, Hornblow, who was the first to notice it, mounted tho bell tower, and at onco that the conflagration was at tho Haipour Flax Mills, where anew industry has just been started by Mr

Joseph Wilson, in the promises forJk merly known as Wilson's boiliugdown establishment. Tho two manual engines and the Jubileo wuo promptly under way, the first to arrive at the Bceue being the Volunteer Brigade's manual about twelve minutes from the tirao tho bell rung. This was followed by tho Municipal manual in a couple of minutes, and tho Jubilee five minutes later. All engines got speedily to work to try and save the engine room and machinery, the rest of the buildings beng all but destroyed beforo they got down, Thoy Bucoeeded in stopping the progress of the fire at this point, but it is feared the whole of the new machinery, weighing machine and engine are rendered unfit for uso. All the stock , of undressed flax was destroyed with rbe exception of two bales The belting of the machinery was cnt off and saved also; but boyond theso few fms everything has gone, Tho fire supposed to havo Btarted an upper store-room, but how it originated is unkuown. The greatest sympathy is felt for Mr Wilson, at his disastrous loss, as he was riot iusured for anything, and lio is completely rninod by tho fire. '(> The buildings were insured for £BSO f in the South British Offico,. whilst tho.North British hold a risk on tho boiling down machinery to the amount of £125. As one result of {he fire, some fifteen hands are thrown out o£ employment. The engine, we believe, was the property of Mr George Heron.