THE GREAT FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 670, 10 February 1864, Page 5

THE GREAT FIRE.

INQUIRY AS TO ITS ORIGIN,

An inquiry touching the origin of the great fire last week, was commenced yesterday afternoon, at Harding's Union Hotel, Stafford street, by Dr Hocken, the coroner. It is understood that the inquiry was suggested by the agents of the insurance companies, with a view of settling any doubts, if such existed, whether the great loss was the result of accident.

A jury of 15 having been sworn, Mr James Miller was chosen foreman.

The Coroner said that the law very properly required a ]udicial investigation into all cases of fire in which there was cause to suspect arson or incendiarism. He was not aware that anything like such a suspicion existed in this case ; but still it was most desirable that any carelessness, if such there had been, should be trac}d and exposed. If the jury failed to find anything of the sort, no doubt their labors would be very light indeed—the inquiry would be a mere matter of form.

By permisnon of the Coroner, Inspector Morton conducted the examinations in chief. The following evidence was given: —

James JBirley: I am a police constable in Dunedin. On the evening of Tuesday, the 2nd inst, ..about half-past seven, I was about half way in the right of way'that runs from Watson's Royal Hotel, Walker streei, and Messrs Mills, Dick and Co.'s office, in Stafbrd street. 1 looked up and saw stn-jke issuing from th n roof of the building adjoining the premises of Mr Mills, gunsmith. I immediately rsn to ♦.he Barracks, to give the alarm. The smoke came from the back of the building, near to a door. On my way I met Sergeant Grennan and some officers running up to the spot. I got into a building adjoining the one on fire, and at the back of Merries tailor shop ; and I sopped there assi-t----ing to remove the property until the roof fell in. Gilbert Percy : I am a sub-inspector of poiics stationed in Dv • edin. On the evening of the fire, about half-past seven. I was in the Imperial Hotel, Princes street. I there heard an alarm of fire. I immediately proceeded to the Police Barracks, and heard that the senior sergeant had marched off all the available men on the station to the fire. I went up Walker street to the fire, and saw Mr Mills's house in fliraes. The Fire Brigade had arrived at that time, and several policemen were engaged about various duties. I went with the senior sergeant, whom I met, and broke open the doors of Mr Casper's store. I encourag'd the crowd to carry out the property. I then sent to the Barracks for some axes, and succeeded in getting down the house which I believe was called the Temperance Hotel. I then went to the rear, where the flre was spreading towards Walker street, and I gave instructions to the police and others there as to pulling down buildings, until I was joined by Capt. Rees, of the Fire Brigade. About half-past 12 or 1 o'clock, when the fire was checked in that, quarter. I went round to see where my men were' stationed. I ascertained that Mr Morton, the inspector of police, had drawn off a number of; them, 12 or 13, to guard property near the fire. A number of night-duty men were at work, in plain clothes, and others who had been on dutjr at the Cricket Ground, were on the spot, assisting in various ways. Some of them, I might not recognise from their being in plain clothes. I did not see any man, under my command or Mr Mor-; ton'sTdrunk. About half-past twelve or one, f sent away half a dozeir officers to loot after pro-; Derti in other parts of the town. I was at the, fire, oft and on, until half-past four in the morning when all immediate danger was over; and I then left there the sergeant on night duty m, charge of a number of officers. I know nothing; as to the origin of the fire. Henry Albert H lmes: I was jitoreman to H and J. Hart, up to the^ime^of the fire. I had. been employed by Mr Hart for eight years, and ; I believed I possessed his confidence. The store, was" a general one, containing groceries and provisions ales and porter incasks, a few cases of wine ; and some spirits, a few cases of matches, and a large quantity of sugar. The wine and matches were upstairs, except one case which was m the cellar, where all the sugar was. The matches; were about the middle of the place, and near the door to the upper place. The^cellar floor was; level with the right-of-way.. There were doors—the front one opened into Stafford street and the other opened into the right-of-way be-, tween our place and Casper's bond. There was, no fire-place in the store, and I never knew of; a fire beW lighted there. About, half-past six; or twenty minutes to seven, I. visited the store, on my return from the Cricket Ground. I walked up with a young man named Girdwood. I left him at the corner of Hope street.. I told him I was going into the store for two invoices, and asked him to wait. He declined, and went' across to his boarding house. I went in by ,the front door, got the invoices, and was out a»ain in half a minute by the same door. I thought; all was right, and I locked the door. On coming out, I saw and spoke to Mrs Mills I was in the habit of visiting the store of an eveninar. We generally closed about six o'clock, and when I was m town afterwards, I made it my business to go and open the door, look in, and see if a 1 was right. I have often met policemen when I came out, and spoken to them. I live in Russell street, at the top of Maclaggan street. I will not swear that I visited the store once a week on an average after six o'clock The store was closed soon after one o'clock on tfce day of the fire. I believe the mvoices I fetched were of goods soldtoHyman Hart, but lam not sure. Mr Hart had asked me to fetch these invoices; I did not examine them, for they" were enclosed in an envelope, which was closed. I only say they were invoices from what Mr Hart said. He gave me a bundle of invoices on that day, telling me to deliver them before going to the cricket ground, or whenever else I pleased. I delivered invoices to Miller Broa, Keenan, Whittinghan Bros, Paterson and M'Leod, Sorley and Samuel, Eastgate and Go, and others, nearly all of whom I could name. They were all in envelopes when given to me by Mr Hart. The two I went to fetch were part of the bundle. I delivered all but those two before going to the Cricket Ground, and did not return until a quarter past six, at which time I left the ground. I had taken the two from the bundle simply because I could deliver them on my way home. One of them was for Mr Hyam Hart, who lives in the Arcade, and the other for Mr Isaacs, druggist, m Maelaggan street. They were not in an envelope, but in two envelopes. I never implied that they were both in one envelope. I delivered them when I was on my way to the fire. I knew there was a fire because I heard the befl and saw smoke. I did not .think our place was on fire, but I did think the fire was in Princes street. I did not deliver the invoices on my way home because I forgot them. After leaving the store I spoke to Mr Mills, and then stopped"to speak to Mr A insworth, boot maker, I intended to go to assist at the fire. I did not " stop" to deliver the two invoices—l gave one to Mrs Isaac's little boy, whom I met in the street, and the one for Mr Hart I gave to Mrs Bloom In fpassing. |Mr Isaacs' boy is five or six years old, and I said, "Givethat to your father." Such is not ray usual way of delivering invoices; but on this oicasion I was excited and did not want to stop. Mr Henry Hart simply asked me to deliver the invoices. It was bis rule to have the invoices out on the Ist of the month, and as this was the second and I had made a promise, I did not want to keep any of them till next morning. I believe Mr Harfs building and stock were insured for something nearL3ooo; but really that was no part of my business. As a general rule only i three persons worked in the store—Mr Henry Hart, Mr Levy, and myself. - By the Coroner: I put all the invoices mt6 my pocket about one o'clock—Hart's and Isaac's were amongst them. I went round and delivered all but the two.—The la9t I delivered was to Mr Thomas Brown, in this street, and as I could pass our store on my way to the Cricket Groundj I threw these two into the office, so that I should have something to go back for at night and see that all was safe. If I bad "kept them in my pocket, I might have got them soiled, or lost them : and I only went back to the store to eet them. I had no other reason for going. Besides the matches I have named, there were a few ullage cases of kerosene, some near the front, and some near the back of the cellar. I was in the cellar after the door was broken open, and the kerosene was not on fire. I don't know of anything being in* the place that was likely to, ferment; we had no old blankets nor damp woollen goods of any kind. By Jurors: From what I hear, the fire commenced near the matches. None of them were loose, but all in a zinc case. We had any number of rate about. I always had possession of the keys. I used a candle on the day (of the fire, to see to get out a case in the cellar. I was not smoking when I went into the office; Ido not smoke. There was no kerosene leaking about in any part of the of the store. I should say the value of the stock we had in was between L7OOO and LBOOO, or it might be more. ,_ ~ Catherine Bloom: lam the wife of David Bloom. I did not on the night of the fire in the Arcade, receive a document or letter from any one. My husband is in partnership with Mr Hyam Hart, in the Arcade. I know that youn^; man (Mr Holmes) I did not, to my knowledge, receive a document from any one on the night be fore or after the fire. I swear that Holmes did

not deliver a document to me on the night of the fire. I saw Mr Har on the night of the fire; but to my knowledge I did not see Holme 9. By the Coroner : I was in my husband's place in the Arcade when the fire bell rung. I was both at the door and inside about the time. Henry Holmes recalled : The last witness is the person to whom I allude in my deposition, as Mrs Bloom.

Inspector Morton said that unless the Coroner or jury desired to have the examinations proceeded with, he would not call any of the other witnesses present, but would ask for an adjournment until Thursday. It would be impossible to conclude the inquiry that evening; and at its present stage he would prefer not giving further evidence.

An adjournment until half-past two o'cloc'c on Thursday was agreed to.