INCENDIARISM AT PAPAKAIO.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1322, 20 April 1882, Page 2

INCENDIARISM AT PAPAKAIO.

A coroner's inquiry was held yesterday at the Peebles' Hotel, before Mr. W. H. S. Roberts, J.P., acting coroner, and a jury of thirteen, of whom Mr. D. Borrie was forman, touching the origin of a fire on the 3rd intfc., by which some stacks of grain belongingato Messrs. Millington Brothers and a threshing mill were destroyed. Sergeant-major Thompson conducted the inquiry. John Millington stated that the wheat crop had been partially insured in the Victoria office about four months ago. They had 200 acres of wheat, which gave an average of 20 bushels to the acre, and 45 acres of oats, averaging 35 bushels. The whole was insured at 4s a bushel on an estimate of 20 bushels to the acre. Threshing was commenced by Mr. James Richmond about the end of March, a man named Rollings being in charge of the mill. The grain was 11 stacks about 30 chains apart. The mill was touching the stack that was burned, and about 10 feet from it was a stack of grain in sacks, covered with straw, while on the other side of the stack was a heap of straw. On the morning of the 3rd inst., the date of the fire, there was a quarrel between two of the men employed threshing, Stephen Boreham and another, and witness afterwards discharged Bareham, who left the same afternoon. The men employed slept in hut about a, quarter of a mile from the stack. He passed close by the stack about 6 o'clock on the evening of the fire. He did not see anyone about nor any trace of fire. He could not say whether on not there was any fire in the engine, but from the time work had been stopped, he should say there was not. Witness did not go out again that evening, and went to bed about 10 o'clock. About half-past one he was called by a ploughman named M'Donald, and on going to the scene of the fire he found that the mill was entirely destroyed, a stack containing 50 bags of wheat quite burnt, and the threshed wheat smouldering. About 250 uninsured empty sacks were also burned, and the shafts of a water dray standing near burned off. He thought that the fire originated in the straw, which was to windward of the engine, about a chain off, but he did not think the wind was high enough to carry any of the straw to the engine. He could not assign any cause for the fire. In answer to jurors, witness said the night was damp. Rain had commenced falling at half-past four o'clock in the afternoon, and it was too damp for a spark from the engine to have caused the fire.

An old stack had been fired the previous day, but there were 10 chainß of ploughed land on each side of it.

Sergeant-major Thompson said that the man had been traced to Waimate, whither he had gone on the night of the fire. Gordon Millington gave similar evidence as to the crop and insurance, and said the working men had estimated that the nnthreshed stack would yield 130 sacks. Ho should say that the machine was paying expenses.

David M. Dennison said he was halfowner of the threshing mill, James Richmond owning the other half. The-mill' had been bought in Oamaru for about L7OO, and this was the fourth season it had been in work. Witness had last season bought a half-share in it for L 250. It was insured in the New Zealand office for L3OO, but witness did not know this until after it was burned. It was a good machine, and had not been out of order so long as he had known it. He could not say whether or not the fire was put out in the engine when work Ceased that aftarnoon ; he nad not control over it and did not examine it. On the following morning he was called and told of the fire. He found the stack and mill; burned and the grain stack burning. He had no idea hbw the fire originated; it might have been accidental. The men had not to smoke about the stacks or the mill. He could not say how he was going to settle with Richmond, but he had not paid any part of the premium, and ho did not think he would lose anything if he got half the insurance money. To a juror : He had no idea what the machine would have been worth in the open market. Joseph Rollings, who was employed as engine-driver to the mill, said the engine and mill were in good order, but about half worn out. He was in the habit of putting water on the ash pan before throwing the ashes out, and when knocking off work on the day of the fire he had put a bucket of water into the ash pan. The wind could not possibly have blown any of the fire out of the fire-box. The fire could not have originated from the engine, and he did not see how it could have been accidental, except it was done by travelling swagsmen. Robert M'Doriald, cook to Messrs. Millington, said he had been down to tha store on the night of the fire, and passed by the stacks, about 20 chains otf, on his way home about 10 o'clock. There was not then any sign of fire at the stacks. He went to sleep about half-past 11, and was quite certain all the men were in the hut at that time. He did not know of any unpleasantness between any of the men and their employers. - William Binge, ploughman, stated that between one and two o'clock lie was awoke by the noise of horses outside. On going out to drive the horses he saw; tho stack on fire, and called the other men, who were asleep in the hut.* The night was wet.

Dugald Allen, licensee of the Peebles Hotel, deposed that on the night of the 3rd he saw a small light at the place were the fire was, shortly after 10 o'clock. As it was so slight he took no notice, of it. It might have been a man striking a match to light his pipe. He shortly afterwards went to bed, and at 10 minutes past 11 o'clock he was called up by some travellers. One of them inquired what the firo was, and he (witness) replied ho thought it was a stack on fire. On looking through a glass he saw the fire was in the same place as he had seen the light. He also saw a man near the fire with a pole in his hand. About 10 minutes afterwards ho went to the fire, and found the straw and stack and grain all on fire and the inside of the mill burned down. He saw no signs of the man. He called no one, aa he thought the men had been there, ,'nnd after saving what they could had left the place. It never occurred to him that the man he had seen had started the firo.

Sergt. -Major Thomson then, read tho statements of Messrs Bee and M'lntosh, the travellers alluded to by the previous witness. Bee's statement was to the effect that he had seen no one at tho fire. That of M'lntosh stated that, hearing Allen say he saw a man at the fire, he looked through the glass, and thought ho saw a man, but was not quite certain. Josiah La wry, agent for the New Zealand Insurance Company in Oamaru, said that on February 2nd last an insurance of 300 had been effected on the mill and elevators. He had inspected the machine a week after it was insured, and was satis* fled that it was worth L3OO, but his'inspection did not satisfy him that.,it should be insured for that amount.

In reply to jurymen, witness considered L 275 would be ample insurance. It was not usual to insure in his office for over two-thirds of the value of a machine.

Proof of loss was then read to the jury, showing that the property belonged to Richmond, and no one else had an intereat in it.

The Foreman was of opinion that Richmond should have been present, as Dennison's evidence did not tally with the statement.

Sergeant-Major Thompson explained that Richmond was samewhere in Canterbury. A special messenger had been sent for him, but he had not yet returned. Constable King gave evidence to the effect that he had seen Richmond on Friday last, and had then told him that the enquiry would be held this week. Ho had served the suummons at his house on Tuesday, and had since used, his best endeavors to find him. This being all the evidence, the Coroner said there was sufficient proof that tho fire had been the result of incendiarism, but as there was no eividence 38 to the perpetrator of the deed, he charged the jury to bring in an open verdict. The jury then, without retiring, brought in the following verdict: —That the fire was the result of incendiarism, but by whom caused there was no evidence to show.