FIRE TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 22275, 28 February 1936, Page 8

FIRE TRAGEDY

STILL SHMHED IN MYSTERY POLICE INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE (From Our Own Correspondent.) OAM.ARU, February 28. Mystery still surrounds the Maerewhenua tragedy, in which a family of four lost their lives. The police investigations Wore continued yesterday, but so far no further light has been thrown on the cause of the outbreak. It has been definitely established that the fire was not seen before 10 o’clock on the morning of the outbreak. From the situation of the house the fire could have been seen for many miles around, as the surrounding country tends to slope away from the spot where the Nolan family had their residence, and although the country in this part is hilly the Nolans’ place was higher than any other house. It has been definitely established that Douglas Nolan, the husband, was lying on Tils back in a double bed_ in the bedroom when death overtook him. He was lying in a position nearest to the door, so that to reach the position Mrs Nolan was found in she would have had to step over her husband. An examination of the remains of Mrs Nolan discloses that the body was lying partly on the left side, with the left leg flexed, on the floor near the doorway. The infahts were both in bed, but the bodies were so completely burned as- to make identification impossible. There is no reason to doubt, however, that they are those of the Nolan children. Further disclosures were made yesterday, when a spent cartridge shell was extracted from the breach of the rifle found just inside the doorway. The other cartridge shell found on the day of the disaster was picked up from the gravel outside the building about 3yds from the main front entrance and opposite the window of the bedroom occupied by Mr and Mrs Nolan. In a tin box were found what appeared to be the ashes of a Post Office savings book and also a roll of bank notes. A small home savings bank was also recovered from the debris. From the investigations carried out yesterday it seems that the kitchen fire had not been lighted on Wednesday morning. No evidence is forthcoming as to the possible cause of the fire. The police are engaged in sifting the debris in an endeavour to find some clue to the tragedy, which at present remains a mystery.