INQUEST.

CHILD BURNT TO DEATH. At the Hibernian Hotel, on Saturday last, an inquest was held on the body of Elizabeth Lawry. before B. Woollcombe, Esq., coroner, and the following jury: —Messrs Richard Turnbull (foreman), W. G. Allen, Joseph Sinder, W. Sutherland, Joseph Dockerill, Samuel Hunter, Frank Davenport, Daniel Lannigan, John Hamilton, J. R. Stansell, Frank Allan, James McKay, Samuel Harding, and Thomas Maloney. ■ > P. Mclntyre: I am a duly qualified medical practitioner at Timaru. I have seen the body of deceased lying here. I was called to the house where it was lying yesterday. The deceased was lying there almost insensible, and was one mass of burns from head to foot. Her hair was singed off, and the skin peeled off almost every part of her body. She died from the effect of tho burns. The fire appeared to have penetrated her mouth, which was burned and blistered; I suppose the child to be about five yearp old. My attention, was called to, the father of deceased having attempted to kick one of his boys. I went out and advised him not to touch him. I told him I thought he was more to blame for.the iujuriw the child had received than the boy was. I hare visited the house m which deceased lived frequently. I do not think the family have been properly treated, they being m a very filthy state, and only half clothed. They seem healthy, as though they have bean well fed. They appear to be m ft state of utter neglect. . Peter Pender: I am Inspector of Pc-lice, From information received I went to-the house of .Mrs Telford, yesterday, where I found the deceased lying dead. From there I went to Lawry's house, a distance of about 200 yards. Crossing the paddock I found a sack, which Mrs Telford said she had wrapped round the' body of the child. Lawry was absent from his house, but his four children were there. .All the childred were in* wretchedly dirty state, particularly the young one. The house was also m a very dirty state. One of the little children! pointed out where deceased had fallen into the fire. I saw four children m the house. The eldest I should jndga to be about elevetf years of age, and the youngest about three.' During my residence m the,colonies, now about 18 years, I never saw a family m Buch a deplorable condition. . . ' Sarah Telford : I am a married wqinany living m Sandie Town; I live on the next section to Lawry'a. About half-past four yesterday afternoon, I was called by .Mrs' Arthur to see the deceased on fire. The/ child was running to my house, across my! section. Mrs Arthur and I put a sack round' her, and got blankets to smother the fire. t> put kerosine on her, and carried her into my house. I sent for Mr Lawry and the Doctoras soon as I had extinguished the fire. Whenwe arrived at the house we took the blanket' off deceased and wrapped a sheet round her:* and applied-more kerosine. The Doctor 'arrived about half an-hour after the accident,* put sweet oil on the child, and afterwards^ applied other remedies. The child died 1 about half-past seven that evening. I havebeen to see the children several times every' day since the mother went away. : I think' the children have been kept at well as a man could keep them, who had to attend to hia'' work. 1 have never known the children to ' be short of food. When I caught thede-' ceased, as she was running to myplace, she ■ had scarcely a particle of clothing left on." her. The only words that the child spoke after I went to her were —"me burning." I■• believe all the children had sufficient bod- : clothing. The .father leaves the children ' when he goes away m the morning, and they -. are left alone till he returns m the evening. He leaves food at home for the children; and •' the eldest boy is supposed to give them'their meals. The boy is like other boys, goe^ away sometimes and leaves his brothers' aid sisters alone. Mr Lawry has not had any' hiredperson m thej house looking after the children. . ■ ■ ' .'•'■: ..> T By Inspector Pender;:; iEither Lawjy .or the eldest boy washes; the, clothe* o£tthe,l' 1 family. About half-au-hour before the accideut I saw the boy washing. Yesterday; evening the children were m a dirty state.-.: The two eldest chil Iren were away from the house when the accident happened, l.saw a number of boys going towards a gorse fire,,"/' and I believe the two eider' children were with them. Lawry has a three-acre section, _ on which his house stands. He has also, r a cow and a horße. . . • Sarah Arthur : I am a married woman, „ • living; at Sandie Town. About half-past four yesterday afternoon I waa going from Mra _• Telford's house to my house, when I saw a " child running across the paddock. She was -i_ enveloped m flames. • I ran to Mrs Telford's house and got a blanket and a bag. Mrs Telford and I smothered the flame?. We Rot some kerosine and put on tho child, and I helped to take her into Mrs Telford'sr house. I saw the child die at about half-,, ;■ past seven yesterday evening. The child j spoke about an hour before her death; she, -^ asked for her tea, and her brother! Johnny, and wanted to go home. I see the.childreii a every day, they are rather dirty; sometimes-" they have'sufficient clothing, not alwayi.''^-} i William L&wry : I am a laborer^ living,a't~. , Sandie Town. Ths bddy of deceasedVlying*'.',' here is the body of my daughter, Elizabeth „!- r Lawry. I left my house yesterday morning '/* i at half-past seven, to 1 go to my work: I l«ft".!,^ my eldest son, aged eleven years, m charge'"" of;the other four children. I received i.., message stating that my daughter wi^: "*' burned. I went home at once. I found her",,. atlTfllford's ; it was about half-past.five m ~/j the evening. I "went to the to torn/to 'gtC*..

medicine, and when I returned the child wai dead. When I went to my house I found a bag lying burned m the outside room. There had been no fire m that room for weeks. The fireplace was m the inner room. The grate was an open one, built m about eighteen inches above the floor. My vrife has been m the Lunatic Asylum for 15 months, and during that time I have not had any person looking after the children. I might earn a shilling a day more than an ordinary laborer. I have money m the Savings Bank, and m the Bank of New Zealand, and have paid nothing towards the maintenance of my wife. I have offered a person two roams m my house, rent free, to look after the children. By Inspector Pender : I sold some land about 14 mouths ago. The children were m a dirty atate this morning, as I had not had time to wash them, but they are generally clean. I could not afford to put cay children out to board. The jury then proceeded to consider their rerdict, and after about half-an-hour's deliberation, returned the following : — •' That deceased, Elizabeth Lawry, came to her death by injuries caused by accidental burning." Rider—" From evidence adduced the jury are of opinion that the children of William JLawry have been much neglected, and recommend the removal of the remaining children to the Orphan Asylum." Donald Murray, who w»e summoned as a Juror and who was not m attendance when ijg name was called, was fined 10s.