INQUIRY INTO A FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15916, 13 May 1915, Page 5

INQUIRY INTO A FIRE.

LOSS OF CRAIG'S STABLES.

HEARING FURTHER ADJOURNED.

IHE inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fire which destroyed Messrs. J- J. Craig's stables in St. George's Bay Road, Parnoll, was continual before Mr. E. C. Cutten, 8.M., yesterday. % Herbert Edwards, electrical engineer employed by the City Council, said be v.ns prepared to demonstrate with ,!.t:jcal appliances in Court tho effect of wire fusing through a pipe when the wire was properly protected by safe fusing. He wanted to show the degree of inflammability of an insulated electric wire. Ho also desired to reproduce the explosion, so that His Worship could form his own conclusions as to the danger. Witness left the box and demonstrated his points. His Worsliip stated that before hearing the evidence of the witness, he had made up his mind that the electrical arrangements had nothing whatever to do with the fire.

I William Henry Gurney, recalled, said the flickering of the light was the first thing ho noticed. Then Mere was tho sound of the snap on tho switchboard. It all happened in an instant. The report of the explosion in the Court seemed rather sharper than the one at the fire. On one occasion, about March, one light out of four went out. He was positive there was no kerosene or benzine in the stables. They were never used. Hay, chaff, oats, and stu-w were stored in the

basement. Tho hay and the straw were compressed. There was nothing else there other than sacks. The basement was kept locked, but there was an entry by a stairway from near the office. The basement was used all day, and was a route to tho office by stablemen or wheelwrights. He sa>v fire rdund a jarrah post, and this was consistent with a theory that it might have come through the floor. That post was the only one of the jarrah posts which was not still standing, and that was the only jarrah post not on a concrete floor.

His Worship asked Superintendent Woolley to accompany him- on another visit to the scene of the fire, and adjourned the inquiry until Monday at 10.30 a.m., when, if lie does not require further evidence, he will give his decision,