FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13481, 4 July 1907, Page 6

FIRES.

[BY TKLEUEAI'H. PBESS

Timaiiu, Wednesday. Last night a 10-roomed house, situated close to the town, nud owned by Mrs. ' Fisher, a. widow, was completely destroyed by fire. The building wa* insured iu the Royal .Office for £500. [BY TELEGRAPH.— COIUtrfSI'OSDEN'T.'J Waihi, Wednesday. An'. inquiry touching the cause of the re- - cent destructive lire at Waikino was held in the -Miners' Union Hall, Waikino, this ' morning, before Mr. Max. D. King (District Coroner). Sergeant Mackiunon watched the proceedings for the- Crown, and Mr. J. Cotter was foreman of the jury. Considerable evidence was taken, including that of Joseph Henncssy, tailor, in " whose business premises the tire started. He stated that ho had a small fire in the fireplace on the-Saturday morning prior to the outbreak, which occurred on Sunday ; morning, June 23, about three o'clock, but not a spark of fire remained when he closed . his premises ; on Saturday afternoon. Witness securely locked the shop up, and was - of the opinion that some person hud broken in and bred the place. His slock was not insured, and lie estimated bis loss by the fire at about £300. He know of no one . who would gain by the.lire. - May Milne, tailoress, in the employ of the last witness, said that when she left at one o'clock on the Saturday the file

was out. •':,■", The jury, after due. deliberation, returned tho following verdict:—"We find that the fire originated in Hennessy's workroom, but there is no evidence to show how it originated." A rider was added as under:

"That this jury urge upon the proper authorities the importance of a water supply at Waikino." ■..?■•