THE LATE FIRE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1123, 1 February 1870, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE.

An inquiry was held on Friday last^afc the-" Settlers' Hotel, before T. Hitchings, Esq.,coroner, and a jury, as to the cause of the . fire in Sbakespeare-road, on the 22nd inst.", . which destroyed the workshop in the occupation of Mr. D. E. Lindsay. ;The;foilow- • ing evidence was taken :— ; , v ; .. Patrick Maher deposed :—X am a-shoe-maker residing in Shafeespear¥-rba:d, nearly, opposite the place where the" fire occarredr Shortly before 4 o'clock. a.m., on the 22nd January, hearing a crashing noise, I looked out of the windowj and saw Mr. Lindsay's workshop on fire. The flames were proceeding from the front. I hollpoed out " Fire," and seeing a policeman, I informed him of the fact I ran. at once to the fire, but ifc was quite impossible to arrest it, or to save anything from the building. ' A good many people soon arrived; and; idid all in their power to save the neighbouring; buildings. I had been in bed all .night. William Churchill, deposed:— 1 am a policeman. On the morning of the 22nd inst., about 4 o'clock, I was standing at Mr. Robinson's, and saw a heavy smoke up the road. I ran in the direction of the smoke and saw Mr. Maher, who was crying out " Fire." I gave the alarm, and a number of. people soon came. When I reached the spot the whole building was on fire. I had been on duty from 12." My beat is from the Albion Hotel to Mr. Sutton's, or farther. I did not notice anyone in particular about that night. I saw; Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Yates aboutS *<m. come out of Mr. Swan's and go in again; The night was fine and moonlight. I passed Mr. Lindsay's workshop about 2.30 a.m., and neither saw nor smelt anything wrong. David Lindsay deposed:— l am a car* penter and builder residing in Napier. My private house is in Milton-road ; my workshop in Shakespeare-road. On Friday the 21st inst., I was busy in the workshop all day with two or three of my workmen. We all left the workshop at 515 p.m., and I locked up the shop myself. We had been doing ordinary work that day.. There were shavings about. We had heated the gluepot on the evening of that day in a nail can in the open, yard. I extinguished the fire myself before leaving, by pouring water into it. The contents of the shop consisted of sashes, doors, hinges, nails, locks, hardware in general, carpenters' tools, 1000 feet match-lining, two or three gallons raw oil. I had been mixing paint ,that day. The stock and tools I valne at £350 ; they were insured for £170. The building was insured for £30. The tools belonged to myself, my workmen, and to the late firm of Miller and Lindsay. These latter were covered by the insurance. ' There were matches kept for lighting the fires for glue. I was late out that night and returned home with Mr. H. L. Yates — I can't say at what hour. We went home up Shakespeare-road. Neither Mr Yates nor myself called at the shop, but walked arm-in-arm together up the middle of the road. We neither saw nor smelt anything wrong. We saw no one except a man under Mr. Sutton's veranda. I can in no way account for the fire except on the supposition that a spark from the fire in the daytime may have blown under the buildings, and smouldered among the sawdust. Edmund Sutton, deposed: — I am a clerk in the employ of Messrs. Watt Bros. On the morning of the 22nd inst. I was awoke about 4 o'clock, and saw the carpenter's shop on fire. My house is very close to the shop ; it caught fire once, but was extinguished through the exertions of some gentlemen. I went home at about 2 a.m., and neither saw nor smelt anything. I cannot account for the fire except: by supposing that some raw oil may have been spilt on the sawdust. I have heard on good authority that raw oil mixed with any inflammable material will produce spontaneous combustion after the lapse of a few hours. Henry Leigh Yates, deposed :— I am a printer, residing in Napier. I spent the evening of the. 2lst inst. at Mr. Swan's, and left between 2 and 3 the following morning, in company with Mr. Lindsay. _.- We walked arm-in-arm together up the \ Shakespeare-road and over the hospital hill. We stopped once on the road opposite to his late workshop. Neither of us were smoking. We did not go off the road or go nearer the workshop than the main road. I did not see or smell anything. I left Mr. Lindsay at Iris owa gate. James Yining deposed : lama night watchman. My beat is from Mr. Lyndon's office to Mr. Higgins' ; Igoonat 10 p.m. On the morning of the 22nd inst., at a quarter to 4 o'clock, I was standing near Mr. Morrison's, and saw smoke in. the direction of Mr. Lindsay's workshop. At Robinson's corner I met Churchill, who was giving the alarm. I sent him to the fire, and went and rung the bell. At about a quarter past 3 I saw Mr. Lindsay and Mr. x ates going home arm-in-arm. I saw no one else about. - The following verdict was returned :— " The jury cannot. from the evidence.before them, determine the cause of the fire in Mr. Lindsay's workshop." . .;