THE RAETIHI TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 142, 20 May 1925, Page 5

THE RAETIHI TRAGEDY.

INQUEST ON THE VICTIMS.

The inquest on the remains o£ Jane Ann Pirie, aged 43 years, and her son, lan Walter, aged 9 years and 1 months, was held at Raetihi on Monday afternoon by Mr W. H. Sandford, district coroner. Tho victims’ remains were recovered from the fire which destroy* d the dwelling house occupied by Mr Wi liam Pirie, on the Pipiriki road, about eight miles from Raetihi, on , Sunday inornin j. Dr. Feltham gave evidence as to performing the post-mortem ex animation, and related the condition of the remains, which showed only tlie trunk of each remaining, all other bones having been burned. William Pirie said he was the husband of Jane Ann Pirie and father of lan Walter Pirie. The two retired to bed about 7 p.m. on May 16 and he retired about 9 p.m. When goi ig to bed his wife asked for some papers, which he gave her. She was in tlie habi; of reading in bed. "There was no fire in tlie house after 5 p.m. Before going to bed his wife complained of not being well, but he accounted for this by tho tact that she had been worried over her mother’s death and had recently been having iato hours. When ho woke he was almost suffocated. lie saw the flames coming through the wall of tho room occupied by his wife and child. He got out on to ihe verandah in his pyjamas, went to the hi ck of the house and opened tho door of fis wife’s room. This was full of smoke and was burning fiercely. It was impossitle to gain an entrance. He went to Mr Workman’s house about 12 chains away and Mr Workman and he returned to the burning house, but could do nothing. Ho could not account for the fire unless it was the upsetting of the candle. His wife usually undid her hair, and hairpins were found near the remains, unless it was that his wife was tired and out of salts and did not touch her hair.

Thorn at; Workman gave evidence as to going to the scene of the lire. It was then impossible to do anything in the way of rescue. The fire was fierce, and there was no water available. He gave assistance in recovering tie bodies from the debris. The two bodies were side by side, and Mrs Pirie had her right arm under the body of the boy. Tho remains were much charred and unrecognisable. When he saw Pirio first he was in his pyjamas, and later he gave him clothes. When he saw the building first he was satisfied that nothing cot id bo done to rescue tho inmates. When others came on the scehe he assisted in searching the surrounding country to iP.e f the unfortunate inmates had escaped from the building. Constable McGowan deposed that on receipt of a telephone message he proceeded to the scene of tho fire, but the building was then practically destroyed. He had to wait some time before he could recover the bodies.

The coroner returned tie following verdict: “That deceased, Jans Ann Pino and lan Walter Pirie met thuir deaths by being accidentally burned ir the destruction of a house by fire on May 17, at Mangoiho, Raetihi.”