HOTEL BURNED

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20506, 24 May 1938, Page 8

HOTEL BURNED

MARLBOROUGH LOSS FAMILY’S HURRIED ESCAPE LITTLE SAVED FROM FLAMES (By Telegraph.—Press Association) BLENHEIM, Tuesday The Ferry Hotel, Spring Greek, a two-storev wooden building containing 12 rooms, was totally destroyed by fire at 3.30 this morning. The hotel, which had stood on the bank of the Wairau River for the past 50 years, was owned by Mrs Jane Bastings, of Auckland, and was occupied by Mr Norman L. Emms. The insurance on the building was £BSO in the Atlas Company with £IOOO on the contents and stock in the Royal Company. Mr* Emms, his wife and daughter and a friend were the only people on the premises; Mrs Emms was awakened by the glare from the flames which were already bursting through the windows downstairs. Apart from clothing they hurriedly donned they had no time to save anything except a handful of no.tes which the licensee grabbed from the safe, leaving about £3O in silver. Evidently the outbreak originated in the kitchen or dining-room and, with no means of extinguishing it available, made a clean sweep of the entire premises. CHRISTCHURCH FIRE BHORTAQE OF FIREMEN REQUIREMENTS OF AWARD CHRISTCHURCH, Monday But for the provisions of the award for firemen, probably about half a dozen extra men could have been called out for the big fire in Mac Duff’s Building and the State Theatre, according to the chairman of the Christchurch Fire Board, Mr T. M. Charters. He said extra men would have been of considerable assistance. “As the award is at present, men Mho are on day leave cannot be called out in an emergency, even if they are at the station at the time," Mr Charters said. " To-day’s fire was\ an emergency, but we could not call out men who were at the station, but whose day’s leave had not expired. This naturally weakened the effective strength of the brigade." Mr Charters said there was no provision whatever for calling out men on leave, even by paying them overtime. The men were simply not available in case of emergency. THEATRE TO BE RE-BUILT DETAILS OF INSURANCE AUCKLAND, Tuesday The reconstruction of the Stale Theatre. Christchurch, will be started as soon as possible, according to Mr John Bates, of Auckland, managingdirector of John Bates and Company, Ltd., the owners of the property. The theatre was built, in 1935 to the specifications of Amalgamated Theatres. Ltd., who took a long lease over the building. The cost, including furnishings, Mas about £IB.OOO, and John Bates and Company, Ltd., have this covered to the extent of £IO,OOO by a policy with Lloyds. DAMAGE AT MACDUFFB PREVIOUS REPORTS DENIED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Tuesday The following statement has been received from the head office of-Mac-Duffs, Ltd.: — “ In connection with the fire in our Christchurch premises, Upper Colombo Street, and the reports which have been made through the leading newspapers concerning our loss, I am instructed to refute the statements as misleading and incorrect. Actually all the losses were adequately covered under their various headings and the total cover exceeds £58.000." The statement also denies the report that the staff of the shop destroyed in Christchurch had been dismissed for six months.