FIRE AT RAURIMU.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 February 1926, Page 9

FIRE AT RAURIMU.

SUS P I CLOUS CT RCUM STANCES

THE CORONER’S FINDING

(BY TO.KfiRAPK CHESS ASSOCIATION.) TAUAIAR UN Ul, Feb. 3.

An inquiry into the origin of the fire which devastated the major portion of Ruurimu at about 3.30 o’clock on the afternoon of December 14th was held before Air A. S. Laird, J.P., at Rauriinu yesterday. Sergeant O’Brien represented the police and Mr E. C. Kincaid represented Jediali Martin, owner of the Spiral Hotel, where the fire originated. Evidence of a lengthy nature was heard, at the conclusion of which Mr Laird found as follows:

"That the evidence in this case is pure y of a circumstantial nature and a conclusion hinges largely on the question of time. Certain points are not adequately or satisfactorily explained, but it would appear that Martin is singularly unfortunate il the lire is an accidental one. His evidence is corroborated in some respects by other witnesses; but at the time immediate y preceding the lire his evidence is in conflict with that of four other witnesses, who agree that the fire in the Spiral Hotel was observed within. a few minutes of Martin leaving the building, yet {Martin says there was no sign of tire when he left. I can only conclude that the circumstances are suspicious The evidenec, however, in my opinion, is not sufficient to warrant a charge being made; and, therefore, I return an open verdict that the Spiral Hotel was burned under suspicious circumstances. and that all the other buildings were destroyed as a result, ol the lire in the Spiral Hotel.”