INQUEST AT MILTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6238, 8 March 1882, Page 4

INQUEST AT MILTON.

An inquest was held yesterday in the Courthouse, Milton, before fj. Nugent-Wood, Esq., R.M. and coroner, and a jury of 12, touching the origin of the fire by which a five-roomed house, the property of Joseph Albert, and situated in Spencer street, Milton, was destroyed on the morning of January 11th. In stating the nature of the case to the jury, the Coroner remarked that there had been a great many of these fires in the district lately by which some of the insurance companies had been defrauded, and it would be as well in future to take some steps to put a stop to it. Many of the fires were accidental^ but many of them again were accompanied by suspicious surroundings. Sergeant Finnegan appeared on behalf of the police.

Joseph Albert, owner of the building destroyed, said he was a storekeeper residing at Milton. He had lived in the house till about 18 months ago. It was then let up to May last, but since then had been unoccupied. The doors were kept locked, and the windows securely boarded up. Witness was last in the house about 14 days previous to the fire, but had been about the place several times since. He was in the house at present occupied by him from 10.30 on the night of the fire until he was aroused about 2 o'clock in the morning There were between 20 and 30 fruit-cases iii the building at the time, as he had no other place to store them. The house was a quarter of a; mile distant from witness' present premises. The house was insured for £200 in the Liverpool, London, and Globe office There was no debt on the building. Witness had become insolvent previous to entering on business in Milton, but he had obtained his discharge about 12 months ago. Since entering on business he had incurred responsibilities, but his business had been a success, and all claims had been satisfied. Witness could not account for the origin of the fire, but thought it must haye begun on the outside, and been caused by children, who were constantly about.

By a Juryman: The house had been erected for about six years, and had originally cost

By the Coroner: It was the property of my children, but the insurance policy was in my own name.

By a Juryman: The house had belonged to his wife, to whom he had transferred it shortly after it was built. At her decease it became the property of the children, but there was no deed of transfer. The creditors tried to take it, and would have done so if they could - A Juryman (Mr Wyber): I beg to state to tne oourt that the creditors never tried to take it, for I was trustee.

Witness: Well, two or three of the others tried it.

_ Mr Wyber: As trustee I never tried it for it was not worth while. When was the property insured ? Witness. Ever since I built it, for the sum of £,200, and no alteration has since been made.

Henry Cosgrove" and John Paskell. as the nrst persons who saw the fire, stated that they wei'e of opinion the fire originated within the building, as the flames were rising from tha centre, and the roof had partly fallen in when they arrived on the scene. They lived close to the building, and both had seen it at 10 p m but there were then no signs of fire about Paskell heard his dog barking a short time before the nre, and was again awakened by it when the fire broke out.

George Graham, coachbuilder, also saw the house safe at 10 p.m. He thought the value of it was .from £180 to £190. This being all the evidence, the Jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict to the effect that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated.