THE LITE FIRE AT ONEHUNGA: CORONER'S INQUEST.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3970, 13 May 1870, Page 3

THE LITE FIRE AT ONEHUNGA: CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquiry into the cause of a fire which occurred on the 7th April was held yesterdayafternoon, at the Royal Hotel, Onehunga, before Dr. Philaon, Coroner, and an intelligent jury, of whom Mr. G. Codlin was chosen foreman. — Mr. Hill appeared on behalf of the Royal Insurance Company, and Mr. Sheehan for the owner of the house. Commissioner Naughton was also present. — William Brimmer said : On the night of the fire I was on the beach, sitting on some timber. I saw two men leave the Royal Hotel. They were perfect strangers to me. They went to the burnt house, belonging to Mrs.Pilkington. One of the men stood outside, and the other went round the house. 1 afterwards saw him get into the house through a side window. He remained inside about fifteen minutes, and then came out through the same window. He then went into a neighbouring house, which is kept as a boarding-house by Mr. Barr, the late occupier of the house now burnt. He stayed in this house about half-an-hour, and then both the men returned together to the Royal Hotel. I did not speak to the men, nor they to me. This occurred about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. I noticed these two men as being about for a few days. About 7 o'clock I saw smoke coining from the upper part of the house between the wall-plate and the roof. I was then coming from my own house, at the back. I went to Messrs. A. and G-. Price, whose premises were near mine, and gave the alarm of fire, telling them the empty house was on fire at last. After a few minutes, the two Prices and some others ran to the place. Mr. Price burst open the door, and then the blaze broke out on the south side of the building, at the top. There was no sign of fire in the lower part of the premises. I did not perceive any smell of tar or kerosine. I noticed one of the two men I had previously seen in the crowd when the house was burning. There was no furniture in the house, which was un occupied. The following momingl saw the same two men come out of Wreford's boardinghouse ; they went round the beach and up Norman's Hill towards Auckland. I saw the same house on fire a few days before ; on that occasion the fire was at the bottom of the house. — By Commissioner Naughton : The two men were strangers in Onehunga : one of them slept in an empty house adjoinino mine, and I mentioned the fact to Constable Negus.— To Mr. Sheehan : The present is the third fire that has taken place near this spot lately. — George Price said : On the night of the fire the last witness came into our machine shop and gave us the alarm. I looked out ; the smoke was coming then from the roof of the house. My brother got into the house through a broken panel in the door. '1 he men who entered the house were at once driven back by the fire, which was then burning fiercely. Nothing could then be done to extinguish the fire. My brother told me that when he first went upstairs two buckets of water would have put it out. My brother is at present in the Waikato. I did not perceive any suspicious smell. — John Featon said : When I first saw the lire the flames were issuing from the upper part of the house. Some strange men had been in and out of my house for a day or two ; but that is not an unusual thing, and I did not particularly remark them.— To Mr. Hill : I saw a fire under this house on a previous day. It had burnt through the floor from the inside. I gave the alarm then, and it was put out. There was a second attempt before the final one. —George Melford said he knew nothing about his lodgers — at that time or any other he only remembered them if they went away in debt.— Constable Negus deposed : I was present at this fire. The house had been vacated only a few days. The upper part of the premises were on fire when I first saw it. I could not go into the building. It was too late to attempt to extinguish it. I have made every inquiry, but cannot discover the cause of the fire.— The jury then returned a verdict to the effect that there was not evidence sufficient to show whether the fire was accidental or otherwise ; and al&o expressed an opinion that, when these inquiries were necessary, so long a period should not be allowed to elapse as in this case. The jury expressed stongly their feel . ing that the law should be altered so as to allow of jurymen receiving some remuneration for thfcir loss of time on these inquiries.