THE WOODEND FIRE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14343, 1 May 1912, Page 10

THE WOODEND FIRE.

CORONIAL ENQUIRY

An enquiry was'held at Kaiapoi yesterday into tho origin of the iVeent fire at Woodend, which resulted in tho destruction of the Oddfellows' Hall 3 a general store, a hairdi'essor's ;md a bootmakers shop- Mr T. A. B. ••liley, district Coroner was on the bench. Detective Gibson conducted the proceedings and Mr Cassidy appeared f or J. H. Lloyd, tho occupant of the general store. Willara Walter Cosjjrovo stated that until recently he had occupied tho general store at Woodend, but had sold that business to J. H. Lloyd, who took control on January 27th 1912. Ho sold only the stock for which tho purchase price was £136 6s. This included a horse,, trap and harness valued' at £30 10s. This would leavo the net value of tho stock at £105 16s. Tho atock faad been valued by a iMr Bate, a valuer at Lloyds', and witness. , Hβ (witness) considered ho didn't get tho full value of the stock. When ho sold out ho gave Lloyd a kSase for 3 years subject to the mortgagee's approval which eventually was not obtained. Of the total amount of purchase money he had only received £40. He had npplied to Lloyd for the balance and •.iloyd had said that he was short) of money and would pay later on. He was at his own home at Tuahiwi on tho night of the fire, March 25tli. To Mr Cassidy: Lloyd bought the stock at valuation, on tho understanding that he was to have a lease. Upon the mortgagee's refusal to consent to leaso Lloyd refused to pay balance of tho purchase money. Ho wanted to get out of business and lot a few things go below cost priceTo Detective Gibson: Ho expected to bo paid for the stock some time. To the Coroner: He was the owner of a property subject to a mortgage, the mortgagee being his mother-in-law Mrs Gebbie. Messrs Wynn-Williams and Bell had arranged a conveyance of the property. Alfred Bromley, bricklayer, residing at Woodend, stated that his residence was opposite to the store. On the night of March 2oth he was wakened by his eon and saw the store blazing. ,Ho got up, and saw that tho fire was in the centre of Lloyd's store. He was sine the fire started in the store. To Mr Cassidy: Tho hall was ietached 10ft. from the store, and tho barber's shop about . 1 yard. the harbor's shoo, hall and dwelling house wero burnt after the store. To the Coroner: The fire occurred about 12.13 a.m. on the morning r-f March 20th. George H. Felton, who occupied the bootmaker's shop, said he had left it at 6 p.m., everything being then quite safe. His stock was not insuredT. H. Allen Martin, inspector of the Queensland Insurance Company, said ho visited Lloyd's shop at Woodend on several occasions. He had insured it on March 18th for £330. He asked Lloyd the value of the etock and was told £350 to £400, and £80 more to come in. Lloyd had put in a statement of claim for £206. Further evidence having been given tho enquiry was adjourned till 10.1.3 a.m. on Saturday at Christchurch.