BURNED TO DEATH

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 140, 18 May 1925, Page 5

BURNED TO DEATH

FATALITY AT RAETIHI.

MOTHER AND SON PERISH. A shocking fatality occurred at Raetihi early on Sunday morning when Mrs W. Pirie and her nine-year-old son, lan Walter, were burned to death. The deceased lady was the wife of Mr William Pirie, who is a member of tho Wanganui Hospital Board. Mr Pirie had resided up to the time of the tragedy on the Pipiriki road, some ten miles from Raetihi. The shocking tragedy has cast a gloom all over the district where Mr Pirie and his family havo been well and popularly known for some years. Details of the tragedy are somewhat meagre but it has, been gleaned that after retiring on Saturday evening Mrs Pirie, as was her custom, read a newspaper for some time. At 5 a.m. yesterday Mr Pirie was awakened by being all but suffocated by smoke. He discovered that the house, which was a four-roomed structure, and which ho owned, was ablaze. Mr Pirie, who was sleeping in an attached room, at once made efforts to rescue his wife and son. The flames Had obtained such a hold, however, that liifl every endeavour was baulked. Mr Pirie, all but frantic, still persisted in his etforte, but the unfortunate man was powerless. Eventually neighbours arrived —Messrs William Bell, Thomas Workman and Vile—only to find that Mr Pirie’s home was razed to tho ground. Later, Constable McCowan, of Raetihi, recovered the charred remains of the mother and son.

No concrete theory can be advanced as to how tho fire started, but it is surmised that whilst Airs Pirie. who was 43 years of ago, was engaged reading tho newspaper, it caught alight from a candle standing on a table close to her bed. There wore no other occupants in tho house at the time with tho exception of Mr Pirie, for fortunately three other children were away with friends. Raetihi has not for many years experienced so great d. shock as is associated with the terrible deaths of Mrs Pirie and her infant. The building was insured for £4OO and the furniture and stores for £SO. At the time of the fatality the eldest daughter, Miss Beryl Pirie was spending a holiday with her aunt, Mrs J. Elliott, of Palmerston North. The deceased lady was well known in this district, being the daughter of Captain Foster, a highly respected Salvation Army officer, who. was in charge of the Salvation Army citadel at Palmerston North some 3-3 years ago, and who is now living in retirement at Raetihi. Mr W. J. Foster, of the Palmerston North postal staff, is a brother of the deceased lady, and Mesdames 11. Jackson of Palmerston North and A. Koehler, of Kelvin Grove, are sister?, another of whom is Mrs Denm, of Goulbourn, N.B.W. Additional sorrow is lent to the tragedy by reason of the fact that Captain Foster has lost his wife (who passed away last Wednesday) and his daughter and grandson. within a week.

A message from Raetihi states that Mr Pirie, the husband of Mrs Pirie, who lost her life in the fire there yesterday morning, was a woli-known fanner in the district and a member of the Waimarino County Council and other public bodies.