OLD MAN BURNT TO DEATH

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22308, 24 January 1938, Page 12

OLD MAN BURNT TO DEATH

WHARE DESTROYED AT KAIAPOI EARLY MORNING FIRE William Baker Taylor, aged 78, was burnt to death in a fire which destroyed the lonely whare he lived in on the old North road, Kaiapoi, at the back of the Maori cemetery, early on Saturday morning. The blazing hut was first noticed by Mr E. T. Price, the borough sanitary contractor, who was unable to approach because of the intense heat. Mr Price returned to Kaiapoi and notified Constable J. Holmes, and together they returned to the scene.

By now the (lames made a search impossible. Later Taylor's body was found among the ashes, and was removed to the morgue. Taylor came originally from England, and as far as is known had no relations in New Zealand. He was a farm worker in the district for many years before he retired to his whare. He was a familiar figure in Kaiapr-i. as he was in the habit of visiting the town regularly for his pension and for the purchase of stores. An inquest was held at the courthouse, Kaiapoi, yesterday afternoon, before Mr E. C. Levvey, District Coroner. L. J. Parnham, farmer, of North road, Kaiapoi, said that he had known Taylor for 30 years. He was present when Taylor's body was recovered. He identified the body by a button from a waistcoat which Taylor nearly always wore. The button was found by the body. Joseph Williams, labourer, said that he had lived next door to Taylor for the last three .and a half years Taylor was getting old and feeble. There was an open fireplace in the kitchen, and he thought that some of the embers of the fire had rolled out and set fire to the place. Constable J. Holmes said that at 1.30 a.m. he had found the budding totally enveloped in flames. The heat was so intense that it was impossible to get within several feet of the whare. No water or other means of extinguishing the fire was available. Nothing could be done until the fire subsided. About 9 a.m. the fire had gone down sufficiently to allow a search to be made of the debris. A verdict was returned that Taylor was accidentally burnt to death when his hut at the old North road, Kaiapoi, where he resided, was burnt to the ground.