THE FIRE AT PANMURE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4408, 30 September 1871, Page 2

THE FIRE AT PANMURE.

We find that the circumstances attending the recent fire at Panmure were not fully stated in onr Thursday's issue, our informant, from perhaps an undue sympathy with one of the sufferers, having omitted all mention of an equally unfortunate sharer in the mishap. It appears that there were two houses burned — oue being owned by Mrs. Portuell, the widow already referred to, and the other by a Mrs. Kennedy and her children. The former, at the ttnio of the occurrence, was stpying with her mother; but Mrs. Kennedy, whose husband was at the Thames, was, we believe, sleeping with her children in their house at the time of the fire. The houses were of raupo, and were so far apart that it would be almost an impossibility for the fire to have communicated from one to the other. Both houses were burned at the same time on Saturday morning, and there can scarcely be a doubt that the h're was caused wilfully, and an immediate investigation into the matter should therefore be made. We believe Father Fynes has been somewhat annoyed ab his namn being published on Thursday in connection with a public snbsciiption. when no mention was made of the other sufferer, who is as deserving of sympathy and assistance as Mrs. Portnell. Until the matter has been investigated by the police, and it is clearly shown that, no Ijl.uuc can be attached tJ either of the tenants, it would perhaps be unfair to endeavour to enlist the sympathy of the public by raising a subscription, but we aic fauro that, as soon as an investigation has baen made by the police, no one could be more coufiJently trusted to bring the distress of both t*ic sufferers before the public than Father l^nes, who has, by his kindness, endeared himself to both Catholics and Pr - tesfcants in the Pan urn re distiicfc We regret that, in advocating the claim of Mrs. Porthell to the benevolent sympathy of the public, the distress of Mrs. Kennedy should have been overlooked. The houses of both have been destroyed with all their contents ; both are in very indigent circumstauces, Mrs. Portnell receiving, we believe, Government rations ; and when the mystery connected with the origin of the fire has been somewhat cleaved up, both sufferers can be recommended heartily to the sympathy of the charitably disposed portion of the public. It is, we aro informed, the intention of Father Fynes to *ako the necessary steps in the matter, should his inquiries prove the parties to be deserving of the public benevolence.