THE FIRE AT ANDERSTON.

Evening Star, Issue 7183, 11 April 1887, Page 3

THE FIRE AT ANDERSTON.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— There are several gross inaccuracies in the evidence given at the inquest in reference to the above. No door was burst open, and in concluding my evidence I said that I was convinced that this lire was unintentionally caused, not intentionally, as reported, Mr Ritchie denies that ho assisted to put the fire out. He states that when he crossed over from his shop, along with Mr Reynolds, the window-blind had dropped down, after burning itself out, and on ascertaining that fact he returned to liis shop. Mrs Wallace was to have occupied only one room, for which she paid 3s per week ; but as the other two rooms had been unoccupied for four or five months I did not object to her going into them, as winter was approaching. My daughter did not say a word about the Institution, but Mrs Jackson did, and she it was who told the constable that I was in my bed. Next morning I told the policeman all I knew about the origin of the fire. My opinion at the time was that some boys might have lighted a match and set fire to the bit of a screen by throwing the match through the broken window; but when 1 learned that all boys who usually play about here had gone to the fire at Maori Hill I told the constable to contradict my hastilyformed opinion, but he did not do so. I still think the fire was a pure accident. I wish the jury had inspected the houses and seen for themselves where the blind was on fire.

I have been thirty-five years—ten of them in Melbourne and twenty-five in Dunedin—in the colonies, and have never been accused of a dishonorable act. As the statements in your columns on the 26th ult. and in your report of the inquiry are calculated to do me injury, I trust that you will find room for these contradictions.—l am, etc., James Jackson. Roslyn, April 8.