The Auditor-General has written to the Auckland City Council stating that the Council ha% T e no power to make a compas sionate allowance of £75 to Mr Smith, of the City Club Hotel, whose premises were damaged by the bursting of a water main. The shop and residence of J. M'Mahon, bootmaker, Hamilton (Auckland), were com pletely destroyed by fire at 2 a.m. last Friday, The four occupants sleeping in the upper storey had a narrow escape, but succeeded in lowering themselves to the verandah by a rope. The wind was favorable, otherwise the whole street, including Gwynne’s Hotel, would have gone.
