THE LATE FIRE IN EDENSTREET.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1087, 13 October 1879, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE IN EDENSTREET.

All inquiry was hold at the Courthouse this morning into the circumstances attending the late fire at the corner of Eden and Aln streets, before T. W. I'arker, Esrj.. R.M., and District Coroner, and a jury of fourteen, of which Mr. H. Fry was chosen foreman. Mr. O'Meagher appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of the South British Insurance Company, and Mr. Newton watched the case on behalf of Mr. Hodgson, the occupier of the premises destroyed. After the jury had viewed the scene of the fire, the following evidence was taken : Catherine Hodgson deposed that she left her husband's house about one o'clock on the day of the fire, and went to Mr. Alfred Hay's house, near the cemetery. .She went there with her husband in the cab. Mr. Hodgson did not remain tiiere long. They had a common kerosene lamp in use, and she had trimmed it before leaving the house. She did not see her husband from the time he left her at Hay's until he came for her again between seven o'clock and half-past. When they got down to the house they found the building on fire. Her husband was afraid to leave the horse, as she was in the cab. Her husband bought the

kerosene oil with which the lamp was trimmed from Ireland and Esther. The bottle was about half full after the lamp was filled. The cap of the lamp with the stop in it over the wick used to slip up sometimes. It used to nearly put the lamp out at times. The witness then enumerated the articles of furniture in the house when she left home, and mentioned her articles of jewellery in the the house when it was destroyed, saying the}' were worth about L2O. She also enumerate 1 the articles of apparel, her own and her husband's, in the house at tlie time. Her husband closed the house when they left at one o'clock. The bed-room doors were left open. She had previously gone out with her husband in the evening and

left the lamp burning. She had never thought of it being unsafe. Her husband was sober when he drove to Hay's to take her home. None of her clothing was saved except some underclothing and what she had on. Most of her clothing was hanging on the Walls in the bedroom. The chest of drawers was kept in the kitchen, ns the bedroom was damp. To Mr. Newton : The fire had a strong hold on the kitchen when she saw it. The kitchen appeared to be entirely in flames. The fire appeared to have originated at the back pare of tiie house. It was burning briskly, and could not have been put out. There was, she thought, a little lire in the kitchen grate when she went out. W. J. Smith, agent for the South British Insurance Company, deposed that Mr. Hodgson had insured his furniture and effects wish him nil the Ist August, 187S, for LIOO. The policy was renewed on the Ist August last. Witness examined the furniture before granting the policy, and satisfied himself that there were articles to the value in the house at the time. When he arrived at the fire he made inquiries as to whether anything had been saved, and Sergeant Beatty pointed out some articles under the charge of Mr. Hodgson. Ho saw Mr. Hodgson, who was evidently under the influence of drink. He asked Hodgson if he could account for the fire, and he replied, " As you are the man that insured, I must tell you the truth. I left the lamp burning, and it must have exploded." Hodgson had given him a list of the articles he had lost, showing a total of Ll5O, and had made a claim for LIOO.

Walter Hodgson deposed that he reached the house about half-past six o'clock on the evening of the lire. The lamp was standing on the kitchen table both before and after he lit it. He had put some kindling wood into the stove and put some coal upon it. He was sober the evening of the fire. He valued his furniture, exclusive of clothes, at L4B. He had not told his creditors, at a meeting, that the furniture in the house was only worth L2O. He did not remember the question being put to liira as to the value of his furniture. He had no recollection of saying anything of the kind to Mr. John Currie. He might have said that of a suit of horse harness. He had compounded with his creditors, and agreed to pay them 10s in the £. He had borrowed L'2o, and had Ll4 in hand. He had turned the lamp down on leaving the house on the evening of the fire. He invariably left the lamp burning when he went out with his wife. His wife's jewellery was worth Llo. After he got rid of his horse and trap, he rendered all the assistance lie could to save articles from the building. To Mr. Newton : He had never parted with any of the furniture he had when lie effected the insurance, and at the time of the fire he had fully as much furniture as he had when he took out the policy. John Ourrie stated that at a meeting of his creditors Hodgson had been asked if his furniture was worth LSO, and had replied that it was not worth half the amount. James Frame gave evidence to the effect that he was present at the fire, and, with a number of others, he entered the building. The fire was chiefly confined to the kitchen. The house was tidily" furnished. He assisted to get some of the things out, but could not remain in the place long. They could do nothing for the smoke. Ho did not enter the bedroom. Constable Jackson was examined, but his evidence was not of importance. He stated ihat Hodgson was under the influence of drink when he spoke to him. John Bailey said that -he was ac the fire. There was too much lire lor him to see all tiie furniture in the building. He had not toid Detective Livingstone that Hodgson did not seem to be annoyed about the fire. He had told the detective that lie thought the house was very well furnished. David Henderson, a lad of eight years, said he took milk to Hodgson's house on the 3rd instant, about half-past 7. There was nobody about. He could see that there was light in the house because it was shining- under the door. He could not see it through the window, as the blind was down.

To Mr. Newton : It was a bright light, like that of a lamp. Irvir.e J First deposed to having been at the fire. He had assisted to force the back door open, and found the house to be in flames. He found the tap of the tank, but could not turn it as there was no key. He could seo very little of the furniture in the house, owing to the quantity of smoke. Mi'. O'Meagher stated that Mr. Smith had asked to have tiie inquiry held, not because there was any suspicion attached roan 3-0110, but because fires were of such frequent occurrence that he deemed it advisable that insurance companies should, if possible, ascertain how the fires occur. Jt was deemed the more necessary to hold a full inquiry as Mr. Hodgson was the last person at the house, in order that the matter might be cleared up. Mr. Newton remarked that he was pleased to hear Mr. O'Meagher make the statement, as some suspicion was always attached to a person in regard to these inquiries. The Coroner briefly addressed the jury, who after a short consultation, returned a verdict to the effect that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated, and added a rider that the evidence adduced was not sufficient to warrant the inquiry being held. Mr. O'Meagher remarked that the inquiry had been called for by Mr. Smith upon the strength of information collected by the police. That evidence had not been forthcoming, but had been actually contradicted by those who were expected to support it. After some further remarks, Inspector Thompson said that the inquest had been applied for on the 7th inst.. and that the report of the police was dated the 10th, so that he could not see how it could be said that the inquiry had been called for on the information collected by the police.