Two Children Burned to Death.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 938, 31 October 1879, Page 2

Two Children Burned to Death.

DUNEDIN. This Day. A fire, with fatal results, broke out ' last night m a two-roomed cottage at the rear of the building at the corner of King-street and Union-street. The cottage was occupied by a dairyman, named O'Brien, his wife, and three children. At the time the fire occurred O'Brien and his wife with their infant child were outside the house, and two children, a^boy of three years, and a girl of two, were m bed. It is supposed that some fowls that were m the house knocked a kerosene lamp over. The small tenement was filled with flames directly, and though frantic efforts were made to save the children, both perished m the flames. Their bodies were recovered within half-an-hour after the tire broke out, as the flames were very soon subdued, though not m time to save their lives. The scene was a terrible one. The father and mother were m uncontrollable agony. The mother fainted, and was carried away insensible. INVERCARGILL. This Day. At the Police Court yesterday, a man named Wheddon was charged . with arson at Mataura, and Duncan Cameron was charged as an accessory, and Donald MacKay with procuring Wheddon to do the deed. Wheddon admitted the charge, saying that it was done for a money consideration at the instigation of Cameron, who admitted it, and said he was instructed by MacKay. It apappeared that the building was bought from Cameron for £20, and it was removed on to a vacant piece of ground, and then insured for two monnths for £170 m the New Zealand office, and a premium of Bs. 9d. was paid. The fire occurred within a month of the insurance. The prisoners were remanded for eight days.