FIRES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8623, 26 October 1888, Page 3

FIRES.

HOBDAY’S CO-OPERATIVE STORES. OFFICIAL ENQUIRY. An inquest into the cause of the recent fire at Hobday’s Co-operative Stores was held at the Provincial Chambers at 4 p.m. yesterday, before E. Beetham, Esq., E.M., and a Jury of six, of which Mr Frederick Trent was chosen Foreman. Mr Holmes appeared by permission for Messrs Hobday and Go.; Mr Martin for certain Insurance Companies; Mr F. H. Barns represented the Insurance Association.

Mr Holmes asked if any of the Jurors were interested as insurance shareholders or otherwise, in tho result of the enquiry. Messrs F. J. Smith and George Piercy replied in the affirmative, but Mr Holmes did not object to them serving on the Jury. After tho Jury were sworn they visited the scene of the fire. The following evidence was taken :—■ Francis Smith, called, said: Ho was assistant manager at Hobday’s co-operative drapery establishment. It was a brick building, of two and three storeys. The office and reserve room were upstairs, and fronted on Cashel and Colombo streets. They employed between fifty and sixty hands, tho majority of whom were upstairs. The tailoring department was upstairs. A fire was always kept going downstairs during tho daytime, and one in an upper room of the corner building. The reserve stock room was on the second floor; it adjoined Sandstein’s, and had a number of skybghts in the roof of it. They kept hulk stuff and haberdashery, and reserve straw bonnets there. There were no arrangements in the building for extinguishing fire. They used no kerosene in the building, only fire. When stock was required for below, any assistants could go into the reserve room. If was a light room. Never knew anyone strike matches when going into the reserve room, though they might at night time. All hands wore employed on the day of the fire. They were at lunch. The dressmakers are away from

one till two. Witness went to lunch a few minutes after twelve. Witness’ position was below, and ho acted generally with Mr Hobday. Mr Hobday took the cash desk when he went to lunch. Witness passed through the reserve room at a quarter to 9 a.m. Witness returned from lunch at 1.15 p.m. Mr Hobday then went to lunch. Could not say who was upstairs in the wooden building at that time. Mr Hobday returned at a few minutes to 2 p.m. Remained in the place up to the time of the alarm being given. Mr Hobday was about with him. The alarm was given about ten minutes to two, by one of the girls. Witness looked up tho well, and saw what appeared to bo a mass of flames coming out of the match-lined ceiling. Sent a boy to give the alarm at Brice’s corner, and sent a cab to the Fire Brigade station. In a quarter of an hour the fire was all through the buildings. All the windows were open for ventilation. A hot Nor’-wester was blowing. Nothing was saved, tho heat was so intense. The Fire Brigade was a long time coming. New stock of spring stuff had just been taken in. Had been in the place about twenty years. Prom the stock sheets there was .£19,000 to .£20,000 worth of stock in the place at the time. Had no time to go upstairs to examine the fire, as he was too busy downstairs to do so. Mr Beetham said if there was no evidence as to the origin of the fire, it was no use going into a question of motive. Witness continued: He knew nothing of the origin of the fire. To Mr Martin: The reserve room opened on to a landing, which you crossed to the tailors’ room. There was another entry through the office. Tho Not’-west wind would blow from the reserve room to the tailors’ room. The furnace in the tailors’ room was for heating irons. Colonial coal was used, with an ordinary fender. Tho men from the tailors’ room were away at lunch from 1 to 2 p.m. To Mr Holmes : They used mixed Newcastle and native coal in the furnace. It was about three feet from the door of tho reserve room to that of the tailors’. Elizabeth Hitchens said she was an assistant dressmaker at Hobday’s. They worked in the dressmakers’ room on the top storey. Went to lunch from 1 to 2 p.m., returning at seven minutes to the latter hour with Miss Collins. Went in by the Colombo street door, and straight to their room. Had passed the tailors’ room door, when she saw the fire through the skylight curtains. It was on tho far corner of the reserve room, next the office partition. It was half way up the wall and pretty large when she saw it. Told Miss Collins, and saw it run across the ceiling. Witness ran to the stairs and gave the alarm, and called the head milliner. Saw some of the tailors, and went down stairs and saw Mr Fountain and Mr Hobday coming up. Witness ran out, and saw the fire bursting out through the windows. Witness never went into the reserve room, and did not see anyone go in. Tho fire was about 3-ifb high and a yard wide when she first saw it. Mr Pender put in a rough plan of the upper floor, showing the reserve and tailors’ rooms, the skylight and well.

To Mr Holmes: It was five minutes from the time when she saw the fire till she got into tho street. Ail the old buildings were then on fire. Florence Collins said: Was an assistant dressmaker at Hobday’s, and worked in the same room as last witness. They returned from lunch together at seven minutes’ to two. They were by the curtains of the skylight when Miss Hitchens asked her if there was "a fireplace round there.” They then saw the lire. Witness waited a minute and went into the office, and saw no one there. Looked into Mr Hobday’s office and turned round and saw Mr Hobday coming up the stairs. Witness then went into the show room. The fire could nob have been blown round from the tailors’ room to where she saw it. People seldom went through the reserve room. There was no fireplace nearer than the tailors’ room. To Mr Holmes: lb was after calling out “ Fire ” that she saw Mr Hobday coming upstairs. Ho looked at the fire, and then calling “ Fire! Fire!” ran for assistance. Thomas Harker, assistant clerk at Hobday’s: Witness used to sweep out the reserve room in the morning. There was no fireplace in the room. Swept out the room a few minutes after eight o’clock. Opened the large window next Sandstein’s. It was blowing. Do not think there was any chimney near the window. Worked in the office, where he had a view of the entrance to the reserve room. Went away at one o’clock. Do not remember seeing anyone going into the reserve room. On Saturday night, if they wanted to go into the reserve room they lighted the gas with a taper. Never examined the chimney going up from the tailors’ room. Left Taylor, one of tho other assistants, in the room when he went to lunch. All appeared right then. Taylor was waiting for Mr Meadows, the Secretary, to come back. To Mr Holmes : There were plenty of rats in the buildings. To a Juror: Used no brown paper to do away with the smell of a dead rat, which he noticed.

Frederick H. Meadows : Was Secretary to tha Company. Went to lunch about twelve, and returned a little after one. At twenty-five minutes to two, Mr Hobday came up into the office, and witness left the building. By a mutual understanding, Mr Hobday kept an eye on the office when he was out. The alarm was given when witness was in the Official Assignee’s office. It was a hot, windy and uncomfortable day. There was no fireplace in his room. Could account in no way for the fire. There was no smoking in the building. A spark might possibly have been blown in. Net curtains and tablecloths hung around the well, which was ventilated by a fanlight. To Mr Holmes : Those things generally hang round tho well. To Mr Trent: The stock which had just come in was worth .£6OO or £I7OO. Had since the fire gone into the value of the stock, which he had no doubt was worth between .£19,000 and £120,000. Elizabeth Hitchens recalled: When she saw tho fire first something like a piece of paper flow out of the middle of the well and up. Thought it was stock burning. To Mr Holmes : Smelt no fire, and saw nothing as she went to lunch. At a quarter to six the enquiry was adjourned till half-past seven. On resuming at 7.30 p.m,, Mr Pender called evidence. T. S. Lambert, architect: Made tho plans for the buildings. There were two chimneys in the building - , one in the tailors’ room, another in tho back room ot tho first floor of the new portion, the hearth of which was about five feet from the ground. To Mr Martin : Could bring the plans at longer notice. Had only been subpoenaed at seven o’clock that evening, Thomas Fountainc: Was salesman in tho clothing department of Hobday’s store. Was downstairs at the time the alarm was given. Went upstairs, and saw the blaze as near Sandstcin’s corner fronting on Cashel street as could be. The window next to Sandstein’a was open, and tho fire was working along the ceiling from that direction. Could not account for the fire. Witness described the contents of the reserve room as yarn goods, cotton shirts and straw hats, &c. To Mr Trent: Never knew sparks from the chimneys of other buildings enter the building. Henry Joseph Hopkins, of Woodend, farmer: Was at Hobday’s at the time tho alarm was given, talking with Mr Hobday. They parted, and Mr Hobday was just going up the stairs when the alarm was given. To Mr Holmes : Had been giving Mr Hobday some securities about five minutes befora the alarm was given. Mr Smith was there. Henry Smart Hobday: Was Managing Director of the Co-operative Company. At this point, Mr Holmes asked for an adjournment, as ho was entirely uninstructed as to tho circumstances of the fire, Mr Hobday said he was prepared to give his evidence. There -was a smell of fire

noticed about the place. Kia first knowledge of the actual fire was through Miss Collins, whom he met as he was going up the stairs, and was within a step or two of the landing. She said there was a fire. Witness had to go up to see where the fire was, and he then saw the lire issuing from the reserve room, next Sandstein’s. The fire came apparently from the roof, burning downwards. Ho cleared out the counting house, and then the work-girls. It was blowing a hard gale at the time. He thought a spark fi'om some neighbouring chimney entered his place and got between the ceiling and roof. He had heard that a spark from his fire was blown down to Mrs Bowman’s, and set that place on fire. Had previously to complain of sparks reaching lais building from the A 1 Hotel, and from Ballantyne’s ; but on the day of the fife, sparks would not have come from that direction. It was some time in the morning when a smell was noticed about the place, and it was put down to-«a dead rat. It was traced as far as the Cashel street frontage. To Mr Martin: Had complained through Mr Smith to both the A 1 and Ballantyne’s about sparks. Went to lunch as soon after one o’clock as he could get, sometimes as late as 2 p.m.. Had not his bill hook or that of the Company with him, or any other of the books. Saved them all but the bought ledger (the X ledger), the Directors’ book and the invoice book. The information in the bought ledger is also in the cash book. The Directors’ book is the minute book. The wrong invoice hook was saved by mistake. The invoice book, he thought, went up to August 22, last stock-taking time. The Home invoices from that date he thought were destroyed. Had duplicates. To Mr Holmes: Could not say what time ho went to lunch on Oct. 3. He went to the Shades. Hopkins was the first man he met when he got back to the building. Got a bill from him and was running upstairs with it when he met the girl, who cried “ Fire!” When he went to lunch, as a matter of common sense would leave Meadows in charge of the office. Would not dream of going out without doing so. Met Mr Latter when he was coming from lunch. His goods were insured for .£12,000, and be had offered to buy them from the Directors for from £17,000 to £IB,OOO, To Mr Martin : The offer was made some day in September. This arrangement had subsequently been made to terminate the Company; the business was paying too well for the Company, and too badly for him. Ten per cent to the shareholders meant 15 per cent to him. Was not losing money at it, but he might have made a good deal more. Had guaranteed 10 per cent to the shareholders.

To Mr Holmes: Tbe guarantee would run out this year. He practically was the Company, and held three parts of the shares. To Mr Martin : If the business made a loss, he would have had to pay the 10 per cent dividend guaranteed. A loss on capital account is provided for in the Articles of Association. Mr Pender said that all the principal people who had been about the place at the time of the fire, had now been called so as to throw all possible light on the erigin. Mr Beetham thought that if counsel considered further evidence could be brought, he would adjourn the case; otherwise he did not think there was any use doing so. Counsel did not think so. Mr Pender said when the witness Meadows made his depositions to the police, he said that when he was going to lunch Mr Hobday came downstairs with him as far as the bottom of the stairs, and then returned. Mr Beetham read Meadows’ evidence, saying that he was with Hobday at twenty minutes to two o’clock. Mr Hobday said this was impossible. Edward Samuel Latter: Was a clerk to Mr Smythe, auctioneer. Was going into the Shades as Mr Hobday was coming out. This was between three and five minutes before the firebell rang. When the alarm was given he went down to the fire, and helped to take stuff out. David Christie: was licensee of the Shades. Mr Hobday had lunch there. Could not fix the time, but it was before two o’clock. When the alarm was given ran in to tell Hobday, but found that he had gone. Ernest Andrews, a boy, said he was cashier at Hobday’s. Was in the old part of the buildings when the fire broke out. Witness came back from bis lunch about half-past one. Was down stairs at the cash desk. Saw Mr Hobday come back between five and ten minutes to two. Smith and Hopkins were there. Mr Hobday was going up the stairs when the alarm was given. Mr Hobday was not there when witness came back from his lunch. The Coroner having charged the Jury in the usual way they retired. On returning in about two minutes, the Foreman said that the Jury were unanimous in finding that there was no evidence whatever to show the origin of the fire.