INQUIRY INTO FIRE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 25 October 1934, Page 6

INQUIRY INTO FIRE

Outbreak in Provision Merchants’ Premises SUPERINTENDENT’S EVIDENCE AMOUNT LOST DISPUTED (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) ' CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. A coroner’s inquiry into the circumstances of a fire at the premises of Davidson and Coy., provision merchants, 168 Lichfield Street, on June 8 was begun this morning before Mr Mosley, S.M.. Chief Detective Dunlop represented the police. Mr C. C. AVarner Superintendent of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, said the alarm wa s received at 2.31 a.m. The brigade was on the spot in two minutes and the fire was under control in half an hour. He was of the opinion that the fire started at the rear of the building. The offices were damaged by heat and smoke. All he saw at the seat of the fire were empty packing cases. There was practically no merchandise there. Mr C. S. Thomas (for the Insurance Coy.): Would it be correct to say there was £2OOO worth of merchandise there? —It would be incorrect. Did you note that two botles of turpentine had been placed at one spot, and that there were paper shavings between them?—Yes. Witness added that it would be incorrect to say that £I6OO worth of merchandise was destroyed.

Mr Sim (for the company) said he hoped to satisfy the coroner that £IBSO worth of merchandise was in the warehouse at the time of the fire. Counsel for the insurance company said Davidson had stated that £llOO worth was visible after the fire ) so that £750 worth must have gone up in smoke. He was trying to find out whether that was correct. The case is proceeding.