THE WELLINGTON BLAZE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81878, 31 October 1906, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON BLAZE.

CORONIAL ENQUIRY. Per Press Association. Wellington, October 30. An enquiry into the cause and origin of the recent firo on Lambton Quay was opened 10-day by the District Coroner and a jury of six. Bernard Diederich, in whose premises the fire broke out, said that one iicanlan and himself traded under the ntyle of the Wellington Auctioneering Company. Aaronstein; formerly a partner, was employed as manager. iVhen stock was taken on August 29, ihe selling price of the goods then in 1 ho shop was ,6847, and the insurance ►-. as £6OO. The shop was eleotrical- ■ y lighted. There were five or six 100 ms upstairs, and he thought there werfi some wicker work and couch springs there, otherwise these rooms were practically empty. Diederich did not think candles .vere used on the premises, except perhaps for purposes' of greasing drawers to make them run easily. He <ept no record of the stock sent down riom his Cuba street shop to the Lambton Quay shop. The Cuba itieet factory was kept for stocking 'ho Lambton Quay shop. If the latter shop was full it could easily conatn ,63000 worth of furniture. He bought the lowest value of the stock ,-arriod since Scanlan came in would oe about ,6700, the highest from £9OO Jtiooo. The takings averaged about £55 per week. Scanlan visit-' the Lambton Quay shop daily. He ■sept me accounts. His books were t s<ues book,, stock book, qnd ledger. It £l5O worth of stock was sold Scanlan would let witness know a and on \witness) would send down stocks 10 replenish the premises. Scanlan aad kept the books since September, iyos.

Witnosa was cross-examined, at sreat length as to his financial dealings and relations with other parties. John Dalrymple, accountant, slated that in April, 1904, he was called '■« to the Wellington Auctioneering Company to adjust the books m connection with the dissolution of partnership between Diederich, Aaronstein and Morris. He made out a balance sheet up to March 31. It showed the lirio to have made a loss of £7O. The /aiue of tho stock was then not including consigned stock on premise" belonging to Dioderich. Witness thereafter kept the firm's books until August, 1905. During this period rli« books did not show a profit. I'nere was no record kept of goods tent from Diederich's shop in Cuba ■itreet. There was no bank account kept by the firm up to August, 1905. Witness knew of no banking- account kept 10 show transactions at the Lambton Quay shop. No invoices n-ero sent with goods from the Cuba street shop. From memory, the firms losses shown at August 21, 190s. were £4OO odd. j

The enquiry was then adjourned unnl the next day.