The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-18 00:00:00

THE GREAT FIRE AT AUCKLAND.

(Abridged from the New Zealander, July 10.)
:This calamity occurred early on Wednesdav
morning the 7th of July, and more than One cir-
cumstance has transpired -to give rise fO the sus-
picion that the origin of the fire, if not an act of
positive incendiarism, is attributable to careless-
ness almost as criminal.
From careful inquiry amongst those who were
first on the spot, and from personal observation, we
may confidently state that the fire originated very
shortly before two o'clock in the mornintr, in the
back premises of the Osprey Inn, Mr. J. H. King,
High-street. It thence extended to the theatre or
music-room of the Osprey, and immediately caught
the building, workshop, and timber of Mr. Finlay's
(carpenter) establishment. The north-east gale
was blowing furiously, and the flames soon
swept before the wind towards the Mecha-
nics Institute, and, with an eddy, round towards
Shortland-street, to the rear of the Bee Hive, Mr.
Keesing's store.
The bugles of the 58th Regiment were sounding
the call as soon as the flames appeared above. the
roof, and the fire bells rang out simultaneously. A
large force of the 58th Regiment, under the per-
sonal orders of Colonel Wynyard, were soon on the
spot with • the military engine ' • and the several
companies of the volunteer fire brigades, with their
engines, were quickly working. But such was the
intensity of the fire that, driven as it was before
the storm amongst the low and crowded buildings
Of O'Connell-street and Iligh-stieet, all attempts to
arrest its course were for a time futile.
The occupants of the houses around the fire—
most of them hard-working people of moderate
means—were now seen leaving, for the last time,
their homes. Men half-dressed, and women and
children in their night clothing, were seen creeping
from burning hous:s, carrying nothing away with
them but the scant clothing in which they had
barely time to rush into the street. In these close
th .
orou7ltrarcs, suloke and heat were alinost un-
endurable, but the officers-of the regiment organised
their men in Working parties—well disciplined and
effective-and attacked thel flames 'W-Iferever there
appeared a chance of doing so successfully.
The fire was now burning furiously around the
Police • Barracks, and: consuming them and Mr.
(4orrie's old schoolhouse.. The Mechanics' Institute
new hall appeared for a time exactly in the
drift of the fire, and it was thought that nothing
could save it ; but the exertions. of Mr. Dalby
and'others, who deluged the front and roof with
water, aided by a slight shift of wind, saved this
handsome building. •
In a more westerly direction, about Mr. M'Caul's,
in High•street, the fire was now storming along—
house after house falling before it, occasional brick
walls, though strongly built, forming no barrier to
its fui7. The street was here too narrow for the
opposite houses even to be saved, and all the build-
ings from Mr. M'Ewan's yard to Vulcan-lane were
ignited, and 'although many of the townspeople
here made the most strenuous exertions to save pro-
perty, very little could be .secured ere the fearful
heat rendered all approach to the burning houses
impossible.

While the buildings from Mr. Marks' to Mr.
Dunning's were burning on the north side of High-
street, the buildings across Vulcan-lane caught, and
Messrs. Marston and George's law offices and the
Auckland. Dispensary--only,just established—were
enveloped in the flames. Phis thoroughfare was
now a street of fire.

A woman whom Dr. Philson, the coroner, was
attending, was conveyed from a burning house to
the fine new brick building, the Auckland Hotel
(Mr. B. Newell's), where it was thought she would
be secure. In a"short time she gave birth to a
child, but this, the house of refuge in which she
was lying, was almost directly after in the midst of
the flames, and she had again to be carried away
with her new born infant to the Wesleyan chapel,
which afforded her safety.
The fire was now at its heighth ! It had curled
round to. the Shortland-street houses, and the whole
block between Chancery-street, High-street, Short-
land-street, and O'Connell-street, was a heaving
mass of fire. The crash of falling buildings, tle.
roar of the fire, and the storm—which had become

more furious still—was awfully grand and fearful.
The fire from the Police-Barracks' block (old Post-
office) now extended across High-street, and caught
the woodwork of Newell's Inn, which was soon

entirely in a blaze; the fire thence spreading to
the houses occupied by Mr. Thompson and Mr.
Leech, carver and gilder, which fell before it. The
newly-erected stables of the Auckland Hotel were
soon burning. A valuable horse just imported from
England in the Bride, however, was led out in
time.

Shortland-crescent was now burning from the
Bee-hive (Keesing's), to the inn at the corner of
High-street. The most strenuous effors were made
to cut down Keesing's inn, so as to stop the firy
roa.hins- m-Ewan's and Messrs. Nathan and
Co.'s. A large ladder was with difficultyat length
raised against M'Ewan's, and hose of one of the
fire brigade engines led up to it to the roof, another
engine played on Keesing's house, the upper part of
which at last was hauled down into Shortland-st. ;
all made safe towards Nathan's. Meanwhile the
fire having extended across Vulcan-lane, the houses
of Somerville, shoemaker, Clements, Robertson, and-
Low, were endangered. Here Mr. Forsaith and
others worked hard and well ; Mr. Keily mounted
on the roof of a building, which was already al-
most cut away below, and with an axe cut holes
under the ridge to affix ropes for hauling down the
mass. The wind favoured their exertions, and the
fire was got under in the direction of Messrs.
Petschler and Low's.

The only way to stop the progress of the fire up
Shortland-street now appeared to be by the de-
struction of some of the houses in the line of the fire,
and the Beehive, (Keesing's) was selected, Capt.
King, R.A., placed a charge of powder against this
house, which was ignited, partly destroying the
house in its explosion—heard even to Onehunga.
A hose was got into the upper floor of Gibson and
Mitchell's store, and though the window frames
facing the Beehive and even the roof were at times
on fire, the place was saved, and the conflagration
arrested in the direction of Upper Shortland-street.
Mr. George, the baker's house was of brick, and
still stood amidst the fire, but at length the heated
roof caught, and the place burnt fiercely, notwith-
standing a copious supply of water poured upon it.
It burnt until daylight, «hen the back wall alone
remained.

At the end of High-street, between Keesing's
Inn and M'Ewan's store, the heat was so great
that the men who held the hose had to be enveloped
in blankets, and water kept thrown over them to
withstand the scorching of the flames behind them.
A bale of blankets from Nathan's stores was
brought out by Messrs. Jervis and Stitchbury, sa-
turated for this purpose, some being pulled over
M'Ewan's side window, and others thrown over
some burning kauri gum in the yard, thus removing
one great cause for further apprehension. The fire
was now arrested at all points ; the space where it
had raged still burnt fiercely, but the fire was low
in the cellars, and among fallen ruins, and not
likely to extend. Crashing chimneys, however,
and the occasional bursting up of the fire as it
reached the woodwork of foundation stories still
maintained the fearful and exciting spectacle, and
when day fairly broke, a clear space existed from
Shortland-street to the Wesleyan chapel, and from
Fielding's to Brown Campbell's stone store. About
50 houses had been destroyed.
Around the fire, and especially in •Shortland-
street, there must have been collected about 3,000
persons ; but from want of due organisation, their
presence was in a great measure useless. Assist-
ance was given in many cases nobly and most affcc-
tively ; :but either from selfish apathy or indecision,
there was much hanging back from exertion on
the part of many stalwart civilians. We heard Dr.
Pollen, Mr. Merriman, and others, themselves
working hard, appealing to a large number of men
to assist in a bucket chain-gang, but nearly all de-
clined, some even asking for remuneration. Mr.
Heaphy, one of the most active, made similar ap-
peals to induce these lookers-on to reinforce a fire-
engine that was in a hot position, but with very
little avail.
While noticing, as
is our duty, this unhappy
want want of organisation and zeal on the par
many content to remain mere spectators, wty-e must
give our meed of praise to some who distinguished
themselves ; Mr. Asher and the whole of the fire
brigade. Mr. J. Derrom was seen 'working every
where "where the fire was thickest, and always use-
-
fully. Mr. Young, of H.M.'s Customs, Mr. Ely,
Mr. Cadman, Mr. Henderson, Air. Coolahan, Mr.
Hansard, &e., were conspicuous, working effec-
tively at the most threatened points. Mr. Daldy
and Air. Smart saved the premises of Gibson and
Mitchell, ands_topped_the progress of the fire in that
direction. Messrs. U. Graham, senior and junior,
e ; and Mr. M'Ewan, whose house for
.a long time was in most imminent danger, worked
hard in other directions to arrest the fire. Mr.
Heaphy was hauling the hose up the high ladder
against M'Ewan's store, and afterwards removing
the burning spirit casks from Keesing's public-
house. Air. J. Graham worked manfully; and the
Rev. Mr. Lloyd, as at W. S. Grahame 's fire, was
conspicuous at the most threatened point. We also
noticed Messrs. Moorhouse, 011ivicr, Blakiston,
Hall, Domctt, and other southern members, co-ope-
rating with great' energy with Mr. Dignan, Mr.
Whitaker (Attorney-General), Mr. Dc B. Adams,
Griffin, Mr. Brennan, Mr. Bain, &c. The aF-
sistanee of the military and fire brigade was abo, e
all praise. Capt. King, R.A., whose services wei e
employed to' blow up r. Keesing's house, it, as to

be seen walking coolly in the driving smoke ar,cl
sparks, with a powder bag under his arm to place
it in the most effective position for the explosion.
Mr. Perkins was very conspicuous and cool in the
most dangerous
When the whole of the lower part of Mr. Kees-
ing's public-house had been cut away, and the
upper floor hanging only by its attachment to the
next house and by the roof which was burning,
Lance-corporal Warren, of the 58th, climbed into
the bed-room and affixed a chain in such a manner

-
as enabled a rope-gang to pull down the burning
house which was threatening the opposite build-
ing.. When Warren was in the upper part of this
house there was literally nothing under the roof
on which he was standing to support it, and the
house was
expected to crash each moment,
Colonel Wynyard, the superintendent (Mr. Wil-
liamson), Mr. Merriman, and Dr. Pollen were at
the fire from first to last, advising, directing, and
animating the working parties ; and Major Thomp-
son, Capt. Reynolds, and other officers were among
the most active in working the bucket gangs.
At four o'clock p.m. (Wednesday) a public meet-
ing was held at the Odd Fellows'-hall, for the pur-
pose of taking measures for affording to the suf-
ferers by the late calamitous fire such aid as might
be needful. The hall was densely crowded. Among
the earliest to arrive were—his Excellency Colonel
Brown, Captdin Stewart, Mr. Holt, the Superin-
tendent, Dr. Pollen, Mr. Merriman, and Mr.
ireaphy ; and soon after the Southern members of
the Assembly, headed by the Speaker (Mr. Clif-
ford), together with a large concourse of merchants
and other respectable colonists. Resolutions were
adopted, calling on the public for subscriptions
to relieve the sufferers, and also thanking those
who had taken an active 'part in preserving life
and property during the time of the conflagration.
The subscription list was headed by the Governor
and superintendent, and in a few minutes the sum
of £537 16s. was subscribed, and afterwards reached
£899 19s.

The following is aiist orthe sufferers and pro-
perty- destroyed:—
Shortland-street—Messrs. A. and R. Keesing,
shop and dwelling; Mr. James George, shop and
dwelling; Messrs. A. Keesing, shop and dwelling ;
Mr. Scott, painter's shop ; Mr. Brighton, shop ; Mr.
Iknry Keesing, Commercial Hotel.
East Side of High-street—Mr. Godwater, shop
and dwelling ; Kelly's baker 3-, Messrs. Collins and
Ripley, cabinetmaker's shop ; Mr. Lorigan, shop
and dwelling; Mr. Leathern, baker, shop and.
dwelling ; Mr. 11. King, Osprey Tavern ; Mr. Mac-
donald, blacksmith's shop ; Mr. Hanlan, shop and
dwelling ; Mr. Walter 3l‘Caul, shop and dwelling ;
Mr. Thinning, shop and dwelling (brick), the Old
Post-office and Police-station.

West Side of High-street—Messrs. Nathan and
Co., stables ; Mr. Rawson, shop and dwelling ; Mr.
Moore, shop and dwelling ; Mr. Gourley, lodging-
house; Mrs. Harkins, dwelling; Mr. Macguire,
dwelling ; Messrs. Marston and George, offipe3 ;
Mr. Overston, shop and dwelling; Mr. 111‘Del*t,.
shop and dwelling ; mi.. Cromwell, dwelliii_g,;Tr.
Shiell, Auckland Dispensary ; Mr. B. ITeN4II,
Auckland Hotel (brick) ; Mrs. Thompson, shop and
dwelling ; Police-corporal Forster, dwelling ; Mr.
Leach, shop and dwelling.
Vulcan-lane. Mrs. Welsh, dwelling •, Grace,
blacksmith's shop ; Mr. J. Robertson, dwelling ;
Mackie, coachniaker's shop ; Harkins, cooperage.
Chancery-lane and O'Connell-street—Mr. ltobt.
Pollock, dwelling and . stables ; Mr. John Finlay,
carpenter's shop; the 'Old Theatre ' • Keesing s
stores ; Mr. Hodge, blacksmith's shop ; Mr. Samuel
Campbell, dwelling house; Mr. John M'Leod,
dwelling horise ; Brown and Campbell, wooden
store arid stables.