FIRE AT WHANGAEHU LOSS OF LIFE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4355, 31 July 1871, Page 3

FIRE AT WHANGAEHU LOSS OF LIFE.

The Whanganui Herald says :—": — " News was brought into town by a Maori that the Caledonian Hotel, Whangaehu, had been totally destroyed by fire during the night, and that a man had been, burnt to death. This shocking news was soon afterwards confirmed by the arrival of Murdoch McLean, ,the Turakina constable, who had riddeu into town to give the necessary information to ■ the authorities, and to receive hia instructions as to the coroner's inquest. He informs us that the fire broke out between 11 and 12 o'clock at night. Before the inmates of the house became aware of the fact, the house had fairly caught, the flames, aided by the terrific gale then blowing, spreading with marvellous rapidity, and soon enveloping the building in one sheet of flame. Five persona were sleeping in the house, four of whom escaped with difficulty, while the fifth met with an untimely oad amidst the flames. It is hoped that the deceased became suffocated before the fire reached him. Those that escaped with their lives received injuries of a more or less severe nature. A painter who was stopping in the house was sleeping upstairs ; on the alarm being given, he had just time to open the window and throw himself out, falling on to the verandah, and from thence to the ground, breaking in his fall several of his ribs. A man of the name of Fraser, who had lately been working at Patea, was sleeping in the house, having stayed there on his way down the coast. Previously to retiring to rest, he had taken his pocket-book, containing £42 in notes, and placed it under his pillow. This he forgot in the excitement, and it was consequently burnt. The landlord, Mr* McDonald, was burnt in his endeavours to save his writingdesk, containing his papers, which he was fortunately successful in doing. The cash-box, containing a considerable sum in cheques and notes, was destroyed. The cheques of course can be replaced, but the loss in notes alone is very serious. A large quantity of wines and spirits received last Saturday for stock was lost, as wall as the whole of the proprietor's wearing apparel, &c. The deceased was named Peter Finn. His charred remains were found in the ruins. The house had only lately undergone a thorough renovation, and was in splendid order. It was insured in the Now Zealand Insurance Company for £400, the stock and furniture in the Victoria Insurance Company for £250. An inquest on the fire was held, and the jury, att»er 25 minutes' consideration, returned the following ' vevdict : — 'It is the unanimous opinion of the jury that the remains found at the Caledonian Hotel, Whangaehu, were that of a man named Peter Finn McPherson ; and further, that the deceased met with his death accidentally. We are also unanitnonsly agreed that the fire was the result of an accident.' "