FIRE INQUEST AT SEFTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10650, 10 May 1895, Page 3

FIRE INQUEST AT SEFTON.

An inquiry was hold at the Seffcon Hotel yesterday, before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., coroner, respecting a fire which occurred in the township on March 15, destroying a shop belonging to Wiliam E. Ross, ineared in the Imperial Office for £l5O. Mr Barclay was chosen foreman of tha jury. Mr Ritchie appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of the owner of the property destroyed, and Mr S. G. Maddiaon, fire inspector, represented the Canterbury Insurance Association. Constable Roache conducted the proceedings for the police. After tho site of the fire had been viewed, John Hunter Lewis, baker, deposed that he saw a goisa fence on fire on the morning of March 15, at 9 a.m., fifty or sixty feet from the promises destroyed. The wind blew tha firo from tha building. Assisted to put out the fire, and it was effectually extinguished. Went to bed that night at ton o’clock. There was mo appearance of fire then. Was awakened by his atop-soa at eleven o’clock and told that Ross’s place was on lira. The building had bean used as a store, but had been unoccupied for a considerable length of time. Valued the building at about £SO or £6O. It had bean built about seven years. A shed belonging to Mr Eoaa was burnt several' months ago. It was insured. There was an entertainment at tha Public Hall on tho night of Moroh 15. There was also an entertainment at the hall the evening the shed was burnt, la the course of cross-examination witness said that the building could not ba built for £SO.

Reuben Lilly, caretaker of the Public Hall at Befton, slated that after the concert in the hall on March 15 he went to his house for a broom to sweep the concert hall. Mr Rosa’s building was apparently all right then. Tho alarm of fire was given a few minutes afterwards. The building was then in flames. Could not say that he saw Mr Eosb than night. The building bad been erected about fifteen years. It was a cheaply-built place. Bertram Hopkins, farm hand. Saltwater Creek, stated that he met Mr Ross outside the hall shortly after the concert. Went with Eoaa and a man named Hoogan to the former’s house and had some supper. As they came out after supper the alarm of fire was given. All three ran up the road to the fire. The flames were then just burating out of the windows on tho back side.

Richard Topp, labourer, Ssfton, stated that at about eleven o’clock ho waa standing in the road opposite the building burnt. Just before the alarm of fire was given ho fancied he saw someone light his pipe near the store. The alarm was given a. few seconds afterwards. Ran to the building and looked through the keyhole, and saw firo inside. Tho fire was at the back, in the second room from the store. Just before the fire broke out witness saw Boss outside the Town Hall gate. Tha wmdowa and doors ware battened up. There were about five rooms in the building. It had been unoccupied about twelve months.

Henry W, Hammond, schoolmaster, Sefton, gave corroborative evidence. It was not by any means a substantial building. For removal it would not be worth £SO. To MrEitohie : Could consider himself somewhat of an expert in valuing houses, having had the spending of many thousands of pounds in buildings. A building to replace the one burnt could not be erected under £l5O, but it would, when erected, be worth almost £l5O more than the one destroyed. There was no larrikmism on the night of the fire. William Ritchie, farmer at Stony Creek, deposed that he passed the store at eleven o’clock on the night in question. Just before hearing the alarm of fire, his wife, who was with him, remarked that there was a smell of kerosene burning, but witness thought it was from rags. There had been kerosene in the store when it was occupied twelve months previously. Kerosene spilt twelve months ago would not be likely to cause any smell whan tho building was oa firo.

Mra Mary Thompson elated that she lived nearly opposite the burnt building. Saw from her bouse emote issuing from the chimney of Koae's place. Aroused her husband and went outside. Smelt kerosene very strongly. Hugh F. Thomson stated that on the alarm cf fire he went to the back of the building. Noticed a atrong smell of kerosene. Maurice Roacho, constable at Amherlsy, said that he went to Mr Ross noon after the fire, who stated that the place burnt was his, and that he had insured it in the Imperial Office for .£l5O, and that ho had bought it with the land about six weeks previously for J 2103. S. G. Mftddison, fire inspector for the

Insurance Association, produced the policy of insurance for £l5O on the building destroyed, also a transfer of the policy from the trustees of Mr Robertson, the original owner, to Ross, dated March 13. He also produced a policy on the cottage for £IOO. The transfer of both policies was drawn up on March 9 and completed on March 13. The previous fire which had destroyed Boss’s shed occurred on July 5, 1892. The building then destroyed was injured by the owner for £3O, which was paid. The Coroner having summed up. tho j ary, after a abort retirement, returned a verdict “That the building was deliberately set on fire, but there was no evidence to show by whom.” The jury also expressed strong disapprobation of insurance companies taking such risks without a proper inspection of tho properties being mads.