NORTON ROAD FIRE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 81, 20 March 1919, Page 2

NORTON ROAD FIRE.

t GRONER’S FINDING. The adjourned inquiry into the circumstances snrroundiug the lire, which destroyed, on August 2lth last, the four roomed cottage, tn Norton Road, Hastings district, owned by Mr. W. Taylor, and occupied by Air. W. P. Bowden, dairyfarmer. was continued yesterday afternoon, in the Hastings Court House, before Mr. R. M. Dyer, S.M. coroner.

Detective Butler conducted the proceedings for the police, and Mi. C. Duff represented Mr. Bowden. At the. fust sitting of the Cort on February 21*1.. Mrs. Bow'll*!! fainted, whilst under exa*uinatioii, and medical aid had to be called, with the result that she had to i,e taken to her home and her husband had to aec-iinpany her, so that the inquest was adjourned. A medical certificate was handed in yesterday, stating that Mrs. Bolden was still too ill to appear and g*ve evidence. The insurance involved was £225 on the contents of the house in the Guardian Office.

Mr. Bowden was placed in the witness box yesterday, and he was subniiltd to a searching examination as to what furniture was in the house, what was removed, and details generally regarding the outbreak.

Detective Sergeant Butler an< Constable MeGruer, in their er:dence, eomradictcd Bowden in irnportant matters. Tho Coroner said that no pnrpo-i could be served by adjourning the inquiry any further. No one. was <m trial, and the object, of the investigation was t<> discover, as far as they could, (lie cause of the fire. There was no direct evidence as to how the fire originalt'd. The. furniture was insured for £225. and it was suggested that, there was only £2O or £3o worth of stuff in the house altogether, and it mis mt th.strength of that the inquiry was !:< ld. There was notliimr to hold .hat this hail been proved. There 'las a big 'onllict, of evidence ;t> l* l what the house contained. There was nothing before him to show tl.ui any person hail origin at ml tin* fire, bill., at the same time ,tbe circumstances were such that the police were perfectly right in acting as they did ami holding an inquiry.

Hr* would find the following formal ve><ii*t: That tin house oeeu pit:t.l by M. .I*. Bowden, in Norton road. Hastings, was destroyed by fire on .August, 24th.. 1!»18, but as to by what means the fire originated th.ere was not sufficient e’idenei* to show.