CORONER'S INQUEST.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume xxv, Issue 98, 9 August 1866, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest waß held yesterday, at the Court House, before W. W. Squires, Esq., on the cause of the late fire in Collingwood and Bridge-Btreets. The jury was composed of the following gentlemen : — John Atkin, foreman, D. Robertson, W. C. Wilkins, M. M. Webster, Joseph Webb, T. Snow, W. Milner, J. Phillips, T. W. Rentoul, T. Usher, M. Lightband, N. T. Lockhart, and J. Hornby. After the jury had inspected the scene of the fire, the following evidence was taken.

Charles M'Gtfe, being Bworn, Baid : lam an hotelkeeper residing in Nelson. I remember the morning of the 7th August. I think it was between three and four in the morning of that day, I heard, whilst in bed, a peculiar sound like a very heavy wind blowing. I called^to Mrs. M'Gee and said What is thatP She said it sounds like fire. I got up instantly ; all was darkness. I lit the candle then and went into the children's room, and saw smoke coming out of a corner of the room opposite the window of the room which looks out into Colling-wood-street. I called out "Fire" as hard as I could. Mrs. M'Gee came out instantly, and went down stairs with three of the children. I went into the nursery, and tried to get my cash-box, but the drawers were locked, and I could not get it. The black smoke then came in thicker, so that I could scarcely see, and I took the fourth child out ; and when 1 had the child in my arms, the blaze burst in over my head. 1 was then still at the same corner of the room. I ran down stairs directly into the kitchen ; all was quiet there ; there was no fire there nor any smoke. It was dark. I went out at the back by the kitchen door, and when I got out to the right of this door, I saw a fire close into the angle of the door, and saw what appeared to me to be a heap of rubbish alight in the corner; this rubbish was like shavings, and was burning I caw the fire the whole way up this angle aB far as the childrens' bed-room, and the wind was blowing right into the angle. I saw the slop pail laying in the yard. It had some water in it which I threw on the burning heap of shavings. I then ran round into Collingwood-street, calling out " Ere." When I got into Collingwood-street, I saw the fire through the windows of my own and the children's bed-room. I saw no one in the street. The first person I saw waß Mr. Munro, bookbinder, and Mr. Eaughton. After that I saw lots of people coming. That is all I know about it. I gave the other child to Mrs. M'Gee after I got down stairs. By the Jury : It was usual for my servants to clean out the fire-places in the morning, but not at night. The ash-pit is at a distance of about sixteen feet from the house, in a back-yard, or about twentytwo feet from the angle where I saw the fire. I use either English or New South Wales coals. There was no rubbish of any description in any part of the yard, neither near the house, nor away lrom it. There was no rubbish near the house on the previous night. I could not say whether the shavings might have been blown near the house or not. The ash-pit was not covered, and looked into Collingwood-street. There were no shavings in the yard, as I had not commenced to make additions. 1 only used wood to light the fires in the morning, or at any time in the day.' By the Cobokeb : Lodgers could pass out of the house at night if they chose. Ido not think that a cigar thrown over the iron fence could have come near. Anyone could have got over the fence trom Mr. Portbouse's yard. There was no light in the .children's room. All lodgers were in bed by twelve o'clock. There were no people sleeping in the rooms looking into the yard. A nurse girl, named Gertrude Bough, slept in a room off the children's room upstairs with one of the children. I always went round the house every night. I went round the house and yard on Monday night early, as we all went to bed early. I never smoke tobacco. I always went round in the dark. I always went into the passage on my lodgers going to bed, until the lightß were out.

Bernard Condell, being sworn, said: I am a grocer living in Collingwood-street. I never sleep on a •windy night. I was restless on the morning of the 7th. I got up, not being able to sleep, and went down stairs, and lay on the sofa. Between three and four in the morning I saw something like a flash of light. I pulled the blinds up, and looked out of the window, and saw a fire upstairs in one of Mr. M'Gee'a rooms over the kitchen. The fire seemed email, and directly I noticed it I rushed into the street crying out " Fire." There was no one in the street at the time I went out. I could not see any one. p heard Mr. and Mrs. M'Gee crying " Fire." After I had given the alarm, as the fire had increased a great deal, I ran into the house and got the children out. I then had just time to get my books out as the heat bad become too strong, the flames being driven towards my house. I did not hear Mr. and Mrs. M'Gee crying out till after I had seen the fire. 1 then saw Mr. M'Gee and he asked me tp lend him a pair of trowsers. There was no rubbish or shavings in the yard, although there was new timber in the yard. 1 know of no buildings from which shavings could have been driven by the wind to Mr. M'Gee'6 house. I had looked out of the window several times but saw no light in Mr. M'Gee's till I saw the blaze. I did not see Mr. M'Gee until I brought my children out of the house. Alfred William Avery, being sworn, Baid : I am a watchmaker residing almost opposite to Mr. M'Gee's house. On the morning of the fire I was awake and heard the town clock strike three. I dozed off again for, 1 shoult think, a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. I got out ot bed. I saw a blaze in (he top window of Mr. M'Geo's house, and ny

the blind catch fire whilst I was looking at it. I said to Mrs Avery " Mr. H'Gee's house is on fire, it will be a case." I went out to the front door and then returned to put on my trowsers. Whilst finding my trowsers, I heard a cry of "Fire." By the time I could get out, I heard screams, and Mrs. M'Gee and family at my back door whilst I was dressing. I let them in. They were ia their night dresses. I saw the fire at the last upper window of Mr. M'Gee'a house in Colling wood -street, at the end of the house farthest from Bridge-street ; after that at the next window. I should have seen the fire had it first broken out near the farthest window but one.