SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13701, 3 June 1915, Page 9

SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM.

i Per Press Association.) • . AUCKLAND, last night. M.v E-. C. Cutten, S.M., gave his verdict this afternoon upon the result of his investigations into the circumstances surrounding the disastrous fire which destroyed Craig's stables at ' Parnell and 200 horses on the night of 22nd April. After discussing the- various thcoiies to account for the origin of the fire, the Coroner said..: M The only other explanation is that- the building was set on fire by incendiary means. It would \ be a' simple matter to pour a quantity i of kerosene over some of the bales of compressed straw, which would absorb a quantity of liquid, and would, on j ignition,., give, a steady and continuous ; blaze of » great heat. It would, too,] produce a great quantity of extremely inflammable vapor, and,' once the fire bi'oke through the floor, this vapor would account for the sudden -outbreak and the quick and complete destruction of the main building without relying on the, contents to bring about* the result. .Bales? saturated would act as a liugn wick and would not necessarily be themselves consumed, amd the fact that the bales were not consumed; not withstanding that they must have been m the basement, is a very noticeable feature about the fire."

However, the Coroner said, the cvi* dence did not justify a verdict 1 of incendiarism, •It -was evidence of a. purely negative character, the elimination of apparently all possible theories of accident leaving a strong, suspicion that the fire was not accidental. The finding was that the evidence was insufficient to show the cause and origin of the fire. tho,ugh it appeared probable it was due to incendiarism on the part of some person or persons unknown.