THE LATE FIRE IN TINAKORIROAD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 772, 17 December 1886, Page 23

THE LATE FIRE IN TINAKORIROAD.

THE INQUEST.

An inquest into the circumstances attending the fire in Tinakori-road, which occurred some time back, was held Wednesday morning at the Shepherd’s Arms Hotel. Inspector Browne appeared for the police, and Messrs Skerrett and Izard for Mr and Mrs Whamby. Joseph Lomas, gardener, said that he was awakened at about 2 a.m. on the 22nd November by hearing a cry of “fire,” and at once got a bucket and water and tried to extinguish the fire, which was in the passage between Whamby’s house and his own. D?d not see anyone about at the time. About a week before the fire witness saw Mr Whamby take a part of the iron roofing from the house on the spot where the fire broke out. Witness’s house caught fire, and was burned down.

Mary Ann Whamby stated that she formerly kept a shop in the Tinakori-road. Her husband was living with her at the time. The house adjoining was her property also. Had obtained a deed of separation about two months before the fire, and then went to live with a tenant named Woodmass next door. Looked up the shop, taking the key with her. When she left the shop she left a full tin of kerosene, and one out of which four or five bottles had been taken. Her husband entered and took possession of the house, which she had just left, without her consent. On the Saturday afternoon before the fire she went into the shop-house with Mr and Mrs Woodmass, and found her husband there. He was drunk at the time, and she left him there. Her houses were insured in her husband’s name, but she paid the premiums. When she went into the house on the Saturday before the fire she saw stains of kerosene on the floor which were not there when she was in the house before.

John Woodmass, compositor, residing on the Karori-road, stated that he was awakened between 2 and 3 o’clock on the morning of the fire by a sense of suffocation. The room was full of smoke, which came through the partition between the two houses. Called Mrs Whamby, who was sleeping, upstairs. Got Mrs Whamby and his wife out of the house, and then called Mr Collins, a neighbor. Witnses went to save his own property. On the Saturday before the fire Mrs Whamby asked witness to accompany her into the house. Witness noticed a large stain of kerosene on the floor, and there was a strong smell of kerosene. On the morning before the fire, between 12 and 2 o’clock, heard someone in the shop-house making noises, but could not give any cause for them. On the morning of the 22nd saw Whamby coming from the direction of the Karori Hotel. He was fully dressed and was quite dry. Dennis Kelly, laborer, residing at the Karori Hotel, said that he saw Whamby on Sunday, the 21st, coming from the direction of his own house carrying a swag. He brought it into the hotel, and said he wanted to leave it with the landlord.

James Moss, landlord of the Karori Hotel, stated that Whamby was at dinner at witness’s house on Sunday, the 21st, and also at about 6. Witness had been to the fire, and coming back met Whamby, who stated that he had been to Island Bay. Lawrence Carrol, constable, deposed that at about 2.10 a.m. on the 22nd he had heard an alarm of fire, and at once proceeded to Whamby’s cottages, whence the alarm came. Found Mr Lomas endeavoring to extinguish the fire. Witness broke into the house at Mrs Whamby’s request. Saw Whamby ou the morning of the fire at about 4, at the fire. Asked him where he had been, and he said he had just coine from Island Bay. He said that he was last in the house between the hours of 1 and 5 o’clock on Sunday afternoon. It had been a very wet night and was raining at the time. Witness and Whamby were talking. He appeared to be quite dry. William Campbell, detective, deposed that he had called on John Whamby in reference to the fire on the 24th of last month. He then volunteered a statement that he went out to Island Bay between 3 and 4 p.m. on the 21st November (Sunday), and returned about 4 a.m. on the morning of the 22nd. Witness had examined a swag, the property of Whamby, at the Karori Hotel, on the 4th. It contained an opossum rug, several suits of clothing, shirts, ties, &c. James McKenzie Millar, clerk at Johnston and Co.’s, agents for the London and Lancashire Insurance Company, deposed that Whamby had two cottages insured in their office for £IOO each. They were destroyed on the 22nd of November last. Whamby had claimed the insurance through his solicitor. The insurance had not yet been paid. By Mr Skerrett: i The proof of loss shows that jMrs Whamby claimed an interest in the property which her husband denied. John Whamby, gardener, on being called, deposed that his money and his labor had built the houses. He occupied the house with the shop attached, which was lately burned down. He knew nothing whatever about the origin of the fire. Mr Skerrett stated that the legal position of the property was that Whamby had no claim to the property, as he had built the houses on his wile’s ground. He could, however, claim the value of the houses.

The jury retired at about 1.30, and returned in about 10 minutes with the verdict that the cottages had been maliciously set fire to by some person or persons unknown, but the evidence did not point to anyone ala the perpetrator of the crime.