The fire was discovered by some passers-by, who warned the occupants, the upper part of the building being a mass of flames at that time.
It is supposed that the fire originated in the servant's bedroom, on the second flat, and the girl remembers leaving a lighted candle on the dressing-table.
As there was no water available the structure was reduced to ashes in a very short time, nothing being saved but a little of the furniture on the ground floor.
Messrs Lane and Co. own the building and portion of the furniture, and it is understood that their loss is covered by insurance, although, as Mr Lane was out of town last evening, the amount of the insurances was not available.
The licensee (Mr Charles Cattanach), who could not estimate his loss, is uninsured.
The hotel is a very old wooden building, containing some 14 rooms, and as Brighton is a popular resort it was well-known to many people.
• The new postmaster at Cambridge has made a request to the Borough Council that the chimes of the clock supplied by Littlejohn and Son, of Wellington, to the local post and telegraph office, should be suspended from 10pm until 7am in order that his rest might not be disturbed.
The matter was allowed to stand over for a month.
The postmaster lives on the premises.
A prize of £10, offered for the best design of a monument to be erected at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound, to the memory of Captain Cook, has been won by Mr W. Mansfield, of Karori.
The monument is to be 37ft in height, and will bear a marble or bronze figure of the great circumnavigator.
• At the meeting of the promoters of the Girls' Peace Scout Movement last evening at First Church Hall Miss Major gave the girls a very helpful "talk" on "How to be Strong and Well", laying special emphasis on deep breathing, good ventilation, and lightly-fitting clothing.
The organising secretary gave a further outline of the course of instruction designed by the founder of the New Zealand movement, Major Cossgrove, including the treatment required in case of various kinds of accidents, the tying of a variety of knots, laying and lighting fires, cooking certain articles of food without cooking utensils, etc.
- ODT, 29.10.1909.
