This building was situated on the corner of Union and Shakespeare Streets and was separated by a brick wall from Coombs' Billiard Saloon, which was also destroyed. The latter place was divided from the post office by a right-of-way, and the Fire Brigade, which was early on the scene, was enabled to save the post office.
When discovered, the flames had an uncontrollable hold of the drapery department to Gray's store.
They were already bursting through the windows, and in a very rapid time through the roof. Fortunately the wind was blowing briskly from a westerly direction, and was in the quarter where least danger threatened by the myriads of flying sparks.
The brigade, whose only equipment was a reel and hand pump, and the only water supply from adjacent underground wells, was unable to attempt more than to safeguard the adjoining premises.
The fire burned itself out in a couple of hours, there being little or nothing saved. Coombs' Billiard rooms were totally devastated, being razed to the ground. Coombs' premises were originally the old St George's Hall, the only place for public entertainments in Milton prior to the erection of the Coronation Hall some 10 years ago.
It was an old building, having been built about 1870 from timber of an old diggings hotel at Coddleston, about one mile and a-half from Milton.
• A note of alarm was sounded by Mr D. Weir at the annual meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union on Wednesday night. The bookmakers, he said, were getting an interest in the game. After every big match large sums of money changed hands.
Players were not affected, but the position was serious nevertheless.
Bookmakers should be kept off the grounds. Mr Little supported Mr Weir, and urged "that something should be done." Professor Hunter remarked that if they were to keep the game clean and free from professional influences they must get players to follow the game for the sake of the game, not for any tours or other outside rewards.
It was resolved, on the motion of Professor Hunter, that the Management Committee be instructed to take stringent steps to prevent betting on Athletic Park.
• Lord Northcliffe, the prominent British journalist, who is now a principal proprietor of the Times, has written in the following terms to the editor of the Otago Witness: "Rather late in the day I have to thank you for the beautifully-produced and intensely interesting Christmas number of the Witness. I confess that since I have seen this number I am filled with desire to visit New Zealand. While I am personally acquainted with most of the new countries of the world, the more I see of them the better I like the old, but your pictures of New Zealand overwhelm one. The completion of the Panama Canal will no doubt cause many more people from the Old Country to visit the antipodes than heretofore, and such issues as your Christmas Annual will, I am sure, greatly accentuate the desire of the people of the England of the North to visit the people of the England of the South."
- ODT, 18.3.1912
