NELSON RACES.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 648, 21 April 1870, Page 2

NELSON RACES.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT GREYMOUTH.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

(FROM OIJII OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Nelsou, April 20.

The Nelson race meeting commenced on Tuesday. The weather was fine, but the attendance was small, compared with former years. The Maiden Plate, of £SO sovs : l<i miles, was won by Stafford's Mist. Redwood's Songstress second. Four horses entered, and the time was 2 min 28 sec.

The Turf Club Handicap Plate of 70 sovs added to a sweepstake of <1 sovs each, 2 sovs ft. Distance It miles, was won by Redwood's Peeress; Stafford's Magenta 2nd., Stafford's Lacenfeed 3rd. Four horses started and the race was run in 3 min 20 sec. The Waimea Plate of 70 sovs— Hack Race, was won by Page's Rainbow.

The Ladtes' Purse, of 40 sovs, rut: in heats of \\ miles was carried off by Redwood's Misfortune, which thoroughly beat Stafford's Rapid Rhone. Only the two ran and it was a poor race.

Foit The Crjteutow Plate, of 30 sovs, ; i mile, four horses started, Peeress coming in Ist, Lacenfeed 2nd, Songstress 3rd.

The racing generally was considered poor.

Greymouth, Tuesday, 9.30 a.m. A serious fire occurred this morning in Boundary street, Greymouth. The Argus office has heen burnt to the ground. Much plant and property destroyed. The shops of JRae, Tailor ; Kittelty, bootmaker • and Miss M'fVaughton, milliner; also the Boundary Hotel have been totally destroyed, with much loss of stock.

The following places were more or less injured or gutted : Winsch, furniture dealer ; Brockley, tinsmith ; Burchell's Hotel, and several small cottages at the rear. The fire is now subdued.

Further particulars of the fire which occurred in Greymouth on Tuesday morning are to hand.

The Greg River Argus of that morning states, that it was only owing to the kind offer of Mr Browne of the Evening S/ar, that they were enabled to produce any issue of that day. The Evening Star of the samo day, states that the fire broke out at the rear of a building in Boundary-street, occupied by two tenants. One of these was Kittelty, bootmaker, and the other Miss M'JSTaughton, milliner. "Within a few minutes after the flames burst forth the double tenement was expiring in its own flames; but not until it had ignited the side and end wall of the Argus newspaper and jobbing office. Although a very large amount of valuable type, plant, stationery, and other printing property have fallen a sacrifice to the flames, the loss to the proprietary would have been infinitely greater, had it not have been that it was the morning of the publication of their paper, and consequently there were a number of the employees of the establishment on the spot who rendered prompt assistance in removing what property there was time to save to the open ground at the rear, from whence it was carried and placed temporarily in a stable opposite to the burning pile. Much property was saved, but it is to be feared that much more was lost. There was a valuable printing machine, which had been only lately landed on the wharf, and which had come out to the order of the firm from England. It had not been working more than three or four days wheu the building in which it had been placed was burnt over and under it. It is believed, however, that the machine—a very valuable one—will be saved. The Argus offices and printing rooms were burnt to the ground, not a vestige of the building remaining. The building adjoining the Argus Office was the Boundary Hotel, which, for so long a period, was kept by Mr Harry Hope, but had only a few days back changed ownership ; it was a two-story one. Long before the roof of the printing establishment had fallen in, the flames had communicated to the hotel, and such was the inflammable character of the materials with which it had been constructed, aud so direct did a strong breeze of wind, which sprung up at the time, blow on to the side walls, that almost in the twinkling of an eye, or ere one had time to cease to wonder, the hotel had fallen to the ground a mass of burning debris. , The premises of Mr Brockley, the tinsmith, were much damaged"; and much of the furniture with which Mr Winsch's (the furniture deale/) shop was stocked received much injury. The National Hotel was also much injured, and the removal of the property and furniture had been so hastily done, that the proprietress of the hotel will bo a serious loser. The London Butchery, which is at the corner of Boundary and Mackay-streets, suffered considerably from tho removal of property. It was 4.30, or thereabouts when the fire bells rung out the alarm, and by eight o'clock, so great aud successful were the efforts made by tho

ofliccrs and members of the Fire Brigade, that the coilagration was Biibdued to the smouldering of a few rafter ends and fallen studs.

The damage done by the fire, as near as can be estimated, is abont £3OOO.